


Twenty Questions

by KelliDiane



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, Genderswap, girl!Harry, girl!Louis, girl!Zayn, slut!niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-30
Updated: 2013-04-30
Packaged: 2017-12-10 00:05:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 55,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/779514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelliDiane/pseuds/KelliDiane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is a Theatre major in Uni and she's quiet and shy and too blatantly honest for her own good. Niall is the extremely smart fraternity brother who sleeps with anything that moves and has a sordid past. It all starts with a game...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twenty Questions

**Author's Note:**

> Written with NiallJWhoranX on Tumblr/

Louis groaned. She had no interest in going to a party- much less a shitty frat party. She could be doing so many things with her Wednesday nights and getting drunk enough to take her top off was not one of them.

She slipped into the black and white horizontal striped skinny jeans that Harry had thrown at her face when she walked into Louis' dorm five minutes ago. She paired them up with a deep red low cut sweater that her brother Charles had gotten her and pair of matching heels. If she was going against her will, she would at least look cute.

"Harry, I really don't want to go to this thing. The Sigma Nu boys are complete jerks. The other day, I saw that Liam guy shoving his tongue down Zayn’s throat and then completely abandoning her when his frat brother walked up. Why would we associate with that? Have some self-respect."

Harry ruffles her chocolate brown ringlets and man does she look good. She's wearing a black pencil skirt with a white blouse the first few buttons undone to show her chest. Maybe she wanted to hook up with someone she didn't care.

"Louis, seriously they always throw killer parties. Better than Delta Chi. If you hate it you can leave, but go for an hour. You don't have to drink, but for Christ's sake socialize."

She rolls her eyes glossing her lips with a nude pink lipstick. Louis is always reading from her Kindle or rehearsing lines.

"But I have a paper due Friday that I haven't started yet. I don't want to have to pull an all nighter tomorrow. If you just want a good shag, call up Nick or Josh. I'm sure they'd be willing to help."

She grabs her makeup and proceeds to smear and rub her foundation on and accent her marvellous cheekbones with a light pink blush. She coats her eyelids in a soft grey and outlines her eyes in the liquid eyeliner she uses for the theatre shows. She finishes it off with the bombshell coloured lipstick she stole from the cosmetology major she used to room with before fixing her dark brown pixie cut into some semblance of style.

Louis turns to face her best mate and huffs. Harry always gets what she wants and it's probably because Louis feels guilty for locking herself up during theatre season and barely talking to anyone except professors and cast mates.

She grabs her wallet, keys, and phone and tries her hardest to slip them in her pockets, but her jeans are too tight. "I'm ready. Can we go now?"

"Yes, yes we can. I'm glad you see it my way." She shuffles outside heels clacking down the corridor towards the elevator. She's probably going to trip any minute considering her lack of coordination.

"They're both at the party. Anyways I want to get so pissed out of my mind that I have to be carried home over some guy's shoulder while I'm giggling for no plausible reason other than the fact that I can."

She pushes the down arrow waiting for the metal box to rest at their floor.

Louis sighs and leans against the wall while they wait. "You always say that, but how many times has that actually happened? More times than not, you've probably just ended up in one of the frat guys' bed."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened to find a completely empty car except for a girl from Louis' design class. She smiled politely and waved before turning back to Harry and glaring.

"Really though, Harry, do you honestly expect tonight to be any different? We're seniors in college. We're supposed to know that parties aren't all that and that graduation is right around the corner. Besides, it's still September! What could they possibly be celebrating already?"

Harry smirks. "Birthday party. It's Mister Vice President's birthday and his brothers are throwing him a bash."

She doesn't know the hierarchy or names of the frat boys, but she was told by Nick it was the frat house's Vice President that's turning twenty two.

"And I take offense to that earlier comment. I've slept with six guys... Since being at this school and only two of them were Sigma Nu brothers."

Louis rolls her eyes. "Great so one of them is going to be walking around like a cocky little shit 'cause it's his birthday and feels like he's entitled right?"

The doors opened once again, this time to the ground floor, and Louis steps out. She waits for Harry to get off before booking it down the street to the frat house.

"Why can't you just make it easy on everyone and sleep with Josh? Everyone knows he's got it hard for you. Which brothers did you sleep with? I'll find them and punch them for sleeping with you."

Harry sighs touching a few more buttons. "Nick and Sean. And no hitting thank you." She yanks the brunette out when they reach their stop wanting to arrive before the good alcohol was taken.

They finally got to the house and it was worse than Louis expected. The lawn was littered with empty bottles and already gone victims of alcohol. The music was blaring and Louis couldn't hear anything except the bass and crashing cymbals. Girls were topless already and guys were grabbing and touching at them. A thick haze was starting to creep from the house and Louis wondered which brothers did weed.

She turned to Harry. "You've got to be kidding me. This isn't a party, this is a fucking mental institution. You can't be serious."

When Harry kept walking though, Louis merely followed. There were catcalls and guys shouting and them to take the tops off before they even made it in the door and Louis was already regretting this decision.

Harry opens the door letting Louis in before herself. Her best friend was right about one thing, the party is mental. Bodies are grinding and people are making out on the staircase. There's a banner hanging up with the message 'Happy 40th Birthday Niall!' The 40 has a giant X through it, being replaced with a handwritten 22 underneath the mistake.

"Oh, it's Niall's birthday." Harry likes Niall. He's funny and undeniably hot, for lack of a better adjective.

Louis rolls her eyes and is immediately attacked with the smell of sex and sweat. "I'm going to get a drink and see if there's a place where I can just hole up for the night. Do you think they'll have bottled water?"

She leers as she sees some guys staring at Harry's chest and she wants to be mad at them, but that's what Harry wanted so she keeps her mouth shut and crosses her arms over her chest to try and hide them.

Harry groans pointing upstairs. "Go find a room to hide in if you're really going to be like that. Most of the frat go to some girls’ dorm or pass out on the lawn."

She leaves Louis at the entrance making a beeline to a cute guy near the kitchen entrance.

Louis looks around suddenly feeling alone and like everyone is staring at her. She forgoes her drink, to worried someone will try and talk to her, and heads up the stairs. She wrinkles her nose in disgust as she passes a few doors and she can hear the sounds of moans and hastily whispered dirty words. She finally manages to find an empty bedroom and hides inside it.

The wall is covered with pictures and sticky notes and it's not exactly what Louis was expecting from a frat guy. A large Irish flag covers the other wall and textbooks line the desk. The floor by the closet is littered with tank tops and snapbacks and she doesn't know how one person owns so many hats.

She finishes inspecting the room and crawls onto the bed and curls up on top the comforter and pulls out her phone to know when it's been an hour and she can go back to her dorm.

\------------

Niall's stumbling up the stairs, red snapback askew. Usually he wore tank tops but he had gone with a white polo wanting to look nice for his birthday.

Normally he would stay downstairs, but two of his frat brothers pushed him promising him a present in his room.

He shoves the door open surprised to see someone already in there. He pokes his head in the hall. "Ya guys got me a girl?"

Louis sat up quickly and stared over at the silhouette in the doorway. A strong Irish accent (as if the flag wasn't a big enough clue) floated into the room and she froze. She didn't know what to do or where to hide. She heard other voices laughing and telling him yes they got him girl and asking why he still standing there when his dick has business to attend to.

She started freaking out on the inside. That's why the room was empty. The brothers had got the birthday boy a shag and she was now lying right where his present should be.

"Oh, fuck." She whispered to herself.

Niall chuckles. "How you guys get someone to agree? Although, I'm not complaining."

He shuts the door being more than familiar enough with where his bed is located. His hands fumble around the sheets finding a pair of legs.

"Name?" He whispers running his fingertips across the material of her jeans.

"L-Louis." She answered quietly and pulled her leg back to escape his hands.

She swallowed and wondered if maybe she could explain her way out of this or she'd end up as another statistic. "Look, uh, guy," the boy's name escaped her at the moment. "I'm not actually your present. I was just up here to find a place to escape the party."

"It’s Niall and no need to be nervous. I'll make you feel beautiful." He spread her legs apart carefully lying on top of her bracing his arms on either side of her.

"Relax." He buries his nose into the side of Louis' neck running his tongue along her skin dipping into the hollow point.

Oh god, oh god, oh god- is the only thing running through her mind. And it's not the sex that scares her (she's not a virgin, thank you very much), but she's never been a situation like this where the guy is just not listening to her.

"Niall, please. I don't need to feel beautiful, I need to go to my dorm and start a paper due on Friday." She tries to be nice instead of just flat out pushing him to the ground and running like hell to the front door. Her breath hitches and her legs twitch at the feel of his tongue running along her skin, but that's just a natural reflex. She absolutely does not want to be there.

Niall's cupped her jaw licking across her bottom lip. His hands were at the hem of her sweater but he stops. His hand reaches for the lamp tugging the chain, light flooding the room. He sat up groaning.

"Please tell me this is all part of some act. I really need to stick my cock in something and you're here." He runs his hand through his ruffled blonde hair.

Louis just feels guilty now. The boy was supposed to be enjoying his birthday by shagging a girl, and here she was saying no. "Well, you see- what happened is- your brothers, um..."

She was at a loss for what to say exactly. No, she didn't want to have sex with him, but a handjob couldn't hurt... Right? "Let's play a game. You pick."

Niall got back sitting down properly. He looks at the girl in annoyance, he's so sexually frustrated. "How about twenty questions? I'll go first."

He squirms on his mattress still hard and he would be for a while. "Do you wanna suck me off?"

Louis cringes. "No. I'm sorry." She sits up and attempts to fix her shirt from the small wrinkles and wonders if her makeup is a mess too.

She looks around the room trying to spark an innocent question in her mind. "Uh, what part of Ireland are you from?"

"Mullingar." He replies glancing down at the obvious tent in his jeans.

"Worst birthday present ever. Those assholes got me a prude." He's more talking to himself, but Louis' actually really hot and he wants her mouth wrapped around him or his body. Whichever would happen first.

All semblance of guilt is gone now and now she's fuming. "I'm not a prude! I just don't like frat boys who think they're entitled to anything- including a pretty girl. You can take that and shove it up your ass!"

She gets up from the bed, forgetting that her phone is somewhere in the tangle of sheets and makes it to the door. She turns back to the blond, "By the way, I wasn't your present. The only reason I'm even at this shit party is because my friend dragged me here. Have a nice life you dick."

Niall rolls his eyes. "I will virgin!"

Louis is running down the stairs two at a time and trying not to let the tears of anger stream down her face until she knows for certain no one she knows will see her. She doesn't remember the elevator ride at all, but the next thing she knows she's in her room and she's crying profusely.

She doesn't understand why his comments got to her. She'd normally have a witty and rude comeback almost immediately, but she had run instead and that scared her beyond belief.

\------------

Niall lies on his stomach. It's a few minutes before he feels something vibrating against his hip. His eyebrows furrow finding a silver phone and it's not his. "Fuck."

He stands up exiting his bedroom, heading back into the pounding music and sweaty bodies. He storms through the living area shoving through the crowd of people. He ignores the insults or cries of protest in favor of snatching a bottle of tequila off the table.

That girl, Louis, she got to him. She's gorgeous and most of the time when he wanted to shag a girl they'd do it no problem. He drinks a good portion of the burning liquid in a foul mood which he shouldn't be considering it's his birthday.

Liam sees Niall pushing his way through the crowd and he figures the gift didn't go so well. Sighing he makes his way over to his best friend and grabs the bottle from his friend. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, mate. I thought Matt and Drew took you for your present. You didn't blow a load already did you?"

He took the tiniest of sips from what was left in the bottle before putting it back on the table and sliding it down to Sean who has some girl's shirt half way off.

Niall explains what happened and held out the phone in his hand. “She left this on my bed.”

Liam frowns. "I don't think she was your present, mate. The guys kept saying she was hungry for it and that doesn't sound like her." He takes the phone and tries gets to the lock screen to see a picture of a short haired brunet, a curly haired beauty, and Zayn. "Well, if Louis is a curly haired seductress, she's over there."

He points over to where the girl was chatting up one of the Sigma Nu brothers. "If it's not, then the pixie girl works at the cafe on campus. She's there every day after classes. Try tomorrow after whatever the hell it is you take."

Niall groans glancing at the picture. His nose crinkles distastefully when he looks at the screen. "She's friends with a slut."

He shoves the device into his back pocket head swimming with the alcohol. "I'm going to bed. My mood is shot."

"Hey, now. You don't even know curly. Why call her that?" He knew the blond was probably talking about Zayn, but they had made a pact to never talk about her so he tried to play it off.

"Do you want me to have Drew and Matt send your real present up? You could at least get a blowjob if you weren't feeling up to actual sex."

"No, I'm really not in the mood. I'll see you lot tomorrow." He stalks off, his bed and Louis the only things on his mind.

\------------

Louis sighs as she adjusts the red visor and apron. She had just managed to serve their most picky customer in record time and got a five dollar tip out of it.

She turns and put her back to the cafe so she could try and get some more school work done before another customer came in. Writing a paper on ancient theatre was a lot harder than she thought. She had to have two western culture and one non-western culture reference and she had to focus on why the theatrics were used in their culture.

She groans as she flips the page in her text book and came to ancient Celtic tribes and their theatre. She began reading and highlighting anything sounding important.

Niall enters the cafe hearing the bell chime above his head. He's wearing a green snapback with a long blue sleeved shirt. He's beyond irritated this morning. The erection and alcohol from the night before really got to him.

There Louis is standing behind the counter like Liam said she would. "Um... Hi."

"Shit!" Louis nearly drops her book in surprise. She turns around to come face to face with the blond haired, blue eyed boy from last night.

She blinks a few times before placing the book next the register and setting her pen and highlighter in the binding. "Sorry, didn't hear the bell go off. What do you want?"

The question had a double meaning for Louis. Of course, there was the usage of it to get his coffee order, but she also wanted to know why he was there. It didn't seem like the type to come to a shitty college cafe.

Niall rummages through his pocket settling the phone onto the counter between them. "You left that on my bed."

He looks at the menu despite the fact that he absolutely hates coffee. "Um... I'll take a coffee, black I guess." His gaze shifts back to her biting into his lip. "I was thinking last night, we, uh, never finished our game."

She swallows and swipes the phone from the counter and inspects it for damage or crude drawings. When she's satisfied, she tries to slip it in her pocket, but her jeans are too tight (yet again) and she just huffs and tosses it back to her jacket.

She grabs a cup and writes 'coffee, black- like his soul' in nice black sharpie before going to get a fresh pot to brew a quick batch. "Yeah, well after being mocked for not wanting to sleep with someone, I didn't have much of an interest in finishing a game."

She jammed at the buttons to put his order in and added a muffin for herself because was just feeling bitchy and making him buy her a pastry seems fair. "That'll be four twenty-five."

Niall looks at the muffin. "Uh, make that two. Hungry."

He has his wallet in his hand handing a five pound note to the girl. "Well, maybe we could play. We both have nineteen questions left. We only get to ask each other one question a day. Might as well drag it out."

Louis huffs and never does add his second muffin on his bill. She takes his money and counts out his change and hands it to him before heading to the pastry display case. She grabs two from the shelf and places one in the tiny oven. Before she gets a chance to finish with them, his coffee is done and she sets the second muffin on a napkin to get his coffee.

She hands the drink over and looks at him. "Do you want me to heat up your muffin?"

"No, that's fine. I don't think I could wait. I really haven't eaten." He bites into the desert satisfied by the lemony twang.

"So I know it’s a weird request. I think it’s weird." He doesn't know what the point of continuing the childish game was, but he figured if she felt comfortable enough they could hook up. "So you're sure you don't want to head to my place and fuck?"

She looked up from where she was already buried in her textbook again. "Is that your question for the day or is that not included in our game?"

Louis sighed and closed her book figuring she wouldn't get much done with him around. "Either way, the answer is no thank you. I told you last night that I don't like obnoxious frat boys with a sense of entitlement."

Niall smirks and despite the insult he doesn't frown. "Fine... What's your favorite color?"

He takes another bite of the delicious treat his eyebrows rise in curiosity. He knows how irrelevant the question sounds, but he finds it to be an important fact to know about a person.

Louis looks skeptically over at the blond and frowns. The tiny oven dings and she grabs her muffin before turning back to answer him. "Red. Like a deep red. Oh, or like a bombshell red. It just pops and makes everything look ten times better."

She smiled as she thinks of some of her classic inspirations (Marilyn Monroe in particular) and their bright red lipstick. Maybe that's why she had nicked the lipstick from her cosmetology roommate.

She furrows her brows and tries to think of an easy question. "Do you have any pets?"

Niall shakes his head. "Don't want any. My major keeps me busy from being responsible with anything else." He grabs the styrofoam cup taking a sip of the burning hot liquid. He's careful not to burn his tongue.

Red, it suits her. She would pull it off nicely.

She frowns and can't help asking. "What's your major and why does it keep you so busy?"

Louis won't lie, she's just a bit curious about this frat boy that wants to play a high school game. Maybe she can peel away the layers. Of douche-y frat boy and get to the real person underneath.

She wonders if Harry would want to help her, so she tries to devise a plan. "So, I'm supposed to go out to dinner with my friend and her fuck buddy tomorrow. Do you want to come with so I'm not the awkward third wheel while they eat each other's faces in front of me?"

Niall takes another sip. "You already asked me a question." He thinks about what Louis was saying or more asking. "I don't date and I don't go on dates."

Louis frowns. "Who said this is a date? I'm just asking you to come have dinner with me and a friend. Just because the friend is bringing her next shag with her doesn't mean it's a date."

She knew that Harry had invited her to dinner with her and Nick, but she was searching for a reason not to go. If Niall said yes though, maybe the snogging would be kept to a minimum. She pouts and tries to be all seductive to persuade him. "Please, Mister Vice President? If you play your cards right, you might even get lucky."

Leaning on the counter, she made sure to let her v-neck top slip a little low. God she felt cheap, but it worked for Zayn and Harry all the time.

Niall laughs eyebrow raised. "I'll go, but not because your chest is spilling out. Besides I'm pretty sure I'm not getting lucky otherwise I would already have." He heads to a table near the large picture window. He stares at the scenery outside drinking his incredibly disgusting coffee.

Louis huffs and fixes her shirt trying to seem disgruntled that he basically called her bluff, but she was happy enough that he said yes. She opens her text book again and continues to work on her paper.

Well, she tries to work on her paper. All she really finds herself doing is staring at the blond and it's honestly starting to annoying. She sighs heavily and snatches her phone from her jacket to see what she missed since last night. She responds to Harry's texts about dinner tomorrow and decides to keep Niall a secret until then.

She stops. She never gave Niall any details about the dinner.

Trudging over to him, she holds her phone out. "Put your number in so I can text you about dinner."

Niall takes her phone, nose wrinkling at the wallpaper like he did the night before. He keeps quiet typing his number in and saving it. "There." He holds it out to her going back to eating his muffin and drinking his coffee.

She frowns. She was expecting some kind of remark or anything. It was like he was a different person. She taps out a text to his number and presses send. "Just texted you so you could have mine as well."

Louis didn't want to hover, but she knew she wouldn't be able to focus with him there. "Mind if I grab my textbook and join you at the table?"

"Sure." Niall shrugs. It’s not her, it’s her screen saver. The picture really bothers him. Makes him think of freshman year when he was merely pledging for Sigma Nu with Liam.

He has trouble concentrating on much when he gets into one of those self-evaluating moods where he questions past choices. He usually remembers at least once a day, he could lose himself to his mind anywhere from two minutes to two hours.

He pulls at his hair because he could have done something different. He could have seen it coming. It’s not like they agreed that they were a thing.

Louis grabs her book and notebook she had stashed back there and her pen and highlighter and came to sit next to him at the table. "I probably need another week and a half for this paper, but I have twelve hours till it's due."

She opens back up to the illustration of Celtic warriors dancing around a fire pit dressed in ridiculous masks as a group watches on in amusement. "You don't happen to know anything about Celtic theatre, do you?"

Niall doesn't hear the question. He's looking at his palms and all he can see is her- her sparkling eyes and beautiful smile. He closes his eyes as if he were having a panic attack. He counts to ten, something about the action keeps him grounded and in his own skin.

Niall opens his eyes almost coming back from being unconscious. "What was your question?" He's got to keep the facade up. He wraps his arm around Louis' shoulders leaning close to her.

Louis frowns and pulls away slightly from his grip. "I asked if you knew anything about Celtic theatre. I'm using it as a reference in a paper I'm writing for my Theatre Origins class."

She groans and drops her head in her hands. "Is it too early in a semester to ask for an extension on a paper?"

Niall scoffs. "Why do you need an extension? I can help you get this done in two hours." He leans back in his chair fingers rubbing against her upper arm casually.

"So Celtic theatre wasn't officially functioning until 1899. Although there was an alternative called Celtic folk drama. It dates back to pre-Christian Ireland and in some cases pre-Celtic bronze age which was four thousand years ago."

Louis looks over at him and blinked a couple times. "How the hell do you know all of that? You're not a history or theatre major are you? I mean, obviously you're not a theatre major or we would have classes together."

She quickly scribbles down everything he had said and passed the textbook over to him. "Do you know anything about ancient Celtic theatre?"

Niall shakes his head. "My major has nothing to do with history, but I'm Irish. I know enough about my culture. Also I'm not answering questions that don't pertain to this. One question a day, remember?"

He shoves the book away. "I don't need that. So Folk drama is the oldest form of theatrical tradition in Ireland. There are two common forms. There are Wrenboys, but don't confuse it with Christmas rhyming they're the same but there can be slight differences."

He pauses biting off another large piece swallowing the pastry. "The other most common form Strawboys, although it’s not widespread nowadays. It’s been adapted and modernized in some parts of County Clare."

Louis scribbles as he talked. She tries to keep up with his speed. Her hand started to hurt from the grip on her pen. "Hold on." She drops her pen and shakes it out and flexes her fingers to try and get the cramping gone.

"I just didn't peg you as the type to care about his heritage this much. You're... Not exactly living up the frat boy image I have in my mind."

"Did you not see the big ass flag in my room or that I wear a lot of green?" He chuckles sipping at his now cold beverage. "I care a lot about it. Us Irish have pride in our roots." He shrugs glancing at the notes she had written.

"Having a flag in your room and wearing green doesn't automatically make you proud of your heritage. I have a Union Jack in my room back home, doesn't mean I'd I love being from the UK." Louis smiles. "While I have no interest in Ireland, I have always wanted to live in a flat above a bar in Dublin and marry a guy with an Irish accent."

"Ew, marriage. Now that's something I don't believe in." Niall glances at his phone noticing the time. "I have to get going soon. I've got a shit ton of homework. And I mean three essays, a thesis, and I have to talk to a few doctors as well as a pharmaceutical technician."

Louis feels her jaw drop. "What? Doctors? Pharmaceutical technicians? Why are you talking to these guys? Making drugs for the brothers are something?"

She closes her textbook and piles all her stuff together before heading back behind the counter. "Uh, when's your last class tomorrow? I'll text you about dinner."

Niall chuckles. "No, it has to do with my major. I'm not part of a drug cartel." He taps his chin in thought. "My last class ends at two."

"Okay. My class ends at three fifteen so I'll text you around. It's nothing to fancy, but at least look presentable." She starts wiping down the surfaces of the kitchen area "Thanks for agreeing to go. I couldn't Zayn to go out. Something about her secret boyfriend." She shrugs and smiles up at him.

Niall stiffens eying the counter. Her name- just hearing it, but that's not what hurt. "Boyfriend? Who is it?"

He looks over his shoulder towards the exit and he needs to leave. He needs to, but he wants to know about Zayn.

Louis huffs. "Hell if I know. Says that he doesn't want anyone to find out something about ruining friendships." She rolls her eyes and waves her hand in the air. "All we know is that he's a Sigma Nu and has a total of five tattoos."

Niall's eyebrows furrows. One of his brothers with five tattoos? He's confused, but he realizes who she might be talking about. "Do you know what he looks like?"

His hands clench into fists, but he stays calm refraining from jumping to any sort of conclusions.

She shakes her head. "Only seen him from behind. Buzzed hair and broad shoulders. He had a cute butt though. Only reason I knew he was a Sigma Nu was some frat jersey he was wearing- a number 12. That help at all?"

Louis really wants to know who it was. Then she gasps. "Wait! Does Liam belong to your frat? He did have his tongue stuck down her throat before pushing her away to talk to someone in the courtyard."

Niall's pissed. He's only ever felt this betrayed once and that was freshman year. He storms out of the cafe knowing exactly where Liam was. He was in class, biology. Being best friends they practically memorized each other’s schedules.

When he enters the auditorium the teacher is at the front lecturing. Immediately he spots Liam near the middle. Without hesitation he curls his hand into his best friend's shirt collar yanking him to his feet. "We need to talk."

"What the hell, Niall? I can't talk now. We have an exam next class. Give me like fifteen minutes. God, you're acting mental, mate." Liam closes his hand around Niall's and starts to try and pry the blond's fingers from his clothing.

"Young man, I suggest you let go of my student before I call campus security and have you forcibly removed." The professor says from the podium.

"You're sleeping with Zayn! Are you fucking kidding me? My ex! You couldn't have fucked anyone else you back stabbing asshole?" Niall shoves Liam hard, knocking him into a few students.

"Someone saw your tongue down her throat! I'll fucking kill you!" He ignores the teacher seething. He pulls Liam back up only to sock him across the jaw.

Liam falls back onto the desk behind him and clutches at his jaw. "Fuck! We aren't sleeping together! She's not like that anymore!"

He pushes himself up off Katie's desk and sways as he tries to get his balance. He sees his professor running into the hallway, probably flagging down a campus cop.

Niall tackles Liam crashing into a cluster of desks knocking over people's school supplies. "You're with her though! What the hell is the Sigma Nu slogan? Love, truth, and honor! There's no honor or truth in this shit!"

A cop shuffles in and surveys the scene before heading up and grabbing Niall back the back collar of his shirt and pulling him off of Liam. He has him up against the wall in a matter of seconds.

"I helped her through a tough time! We ended liking each other a lot! I'm sorry that you're upset, but that's why we didn't want to tell you!" Liam shouts as he tries gathering his classmates' stuff to put it back on their desks.

"Fuck you! Fuck you! In violation of the Sigma Nu code, as vice president, I'm ordering you to pack your shit up and get the hell out of the house!" Niall screams face a bright red.

He's so mad and hurt. He can't believe Liam would ever do this to him. "You know what that bitch did! I want you out of my frat! You're no brother of mine!"

The cop jacks him against the wall a little harder and orders him to be silent. He threatens that if the blond says anything else that he'll book him for the night.

"Niall, I'm sorry! Talk to her, don't be mad at me for something she did three years ago. She's changed." Liam pleads trying to talk the hysterical boy down.

Niall keeps quiet not wanting to spend the night in a cell. All he wants to do is curl up in bed, he just can't be here. "Please just escort me out." He practically begs the cop.

The cop complies and drags him into the hall. "You have two options kid. I can escort you back to the Sigma Nu house or you can call someone to come get you. I'm not allowed to just let you go since you've assaulted a student."

"Just take me to the house I don't have anyone to call." Niall looks at the ground defeatedly.

\------------

Louis stretches as she walks out of the performing arts building. She spots Harry across the courtyard. Smiling, she makes her way over and hip bumps her softly.

"Hey. When are we meeting for dinner tonight and where are we meeting? I need to tell my guest." She slips her phone from her purse and opens a new text.

Harry raises an eyebrow smirking. "A guest? You actually got a date?" She gestures to Louis with a shake of her head to walk and talk. "So who's the lucky guy?"

"It's definitely not a date. He doesn't 'do' dating- whatever that means." Louis shrugs and stares back her phone. "Um, it's Niall, the Vice President of Sigma Nu. We, uh, met at his birthday party and he came by the cafe during my shift yesterday. Asked him to come along so I wouldn't have to suffer through you eating your date's face all night."

She thought for a second as they continue to head away from the courtyard. "And I find it extremely rude that you insinuated that I couldn't get a date."

Harry links her arm with Louis', bumping hips. "Baby, you're gorgeous I just meant all you do is study."

Her eyes widen when she registers the name. "Niall Horan? The one who beat the shit out of Liam Payne during a lecture? That Niall?"

Louis frowns. She hasn't heard anything about that. "Possibly? I doubt it though. They're frat brothers. I don't think Niall would beat the shit out of his own brother."

She didn't like the uneasy feeling in her stomach. Why would Niall beat up his best friend? His own brother! She clears her throat. "Tell me where we're going and what time he needs to be there. I need to text him and tell him."

Harry scoffs. "The fight was over Zayn." She thinks about the appropriate time for dinner. "Um, the reservations are six at La Verde."

Louis taps out the time and place and reminds him to dress nice, but not too nice. She hesitates with the next bit before finally asking if he wants her to pick him up on the way.

She sends the text and looks back at Harry. "What does Zayn have to do with anything? I'm so confused." Her eyes widen. "Does he like Zayn?"

Harry shrugs her shoulders. "I wasn't there. Anyways don't bring her up. He's probably still pissed. I heard him and the president are kicking Liam out of the frat. I guess they told the house what happened and they sided with Niall."

She laughs when a thought pops in her mind. "The frat houses have more drama than the sororities. Wonder if Liam will pledge for Delta Chi since that's the only other fraternity."

Louis wasn't really concerned with Liam and his fraternity problems. She was more worried about Niall and his... Zayn problems. She walks the rest of the way in a daze wondering what it could be.

Harry could have changed the subject for all she knew, but she interrupts the curly haired girl. "Do you think Zayn would tell me what's going on?"

Harry stops talking mid-sentence. "If she wanted to tell us she already would have. Just don't bring it up right now. She's probably upset about Liam."

She opens the door that leads to the dorm rooms. "Let's get ready I need to look good."

\------------

Louis waves as Harry and Nick pull away. She still has about a half hour before she absolutely has to pick Niall up so she races back up the steps to her dorm and throws her closet open to find something she knows she would good in.

She finds a white dress that she has yet to wear and decides to go for it. She slips it on and zips it up and looks at herself in the mirror. The dress is tight across her chest and the three quarter sleeves hide the bruises on her bicep from rehearsal this morning. It fits practically like a second skin till it gets to her waist where it flares out and comes down to rest at the back of her knees.

She pulls out her make up bag and repeats the process from last night. With the white dress, her bombshell lipstick just popped and she loves it. She grabs a red clutch she keeps around for dinners with Harry before stuffing her wallet, keys, phone, and lipstick in there.

She slips into her gladiator sandals and spends the next five minutes tying them just so. Realising that she only has five minutes to get to the house and that she has to drive around the block to get to the house (stupid one way streets), she took off down the stairs and hopped in her car- a red 2006 Honda Civic.

She finally pulls up to the house and debates with texting him or going to the door. Sighing, she tosses her keys back in the clutch and grabs it before exiting the car and walking up the path.

She raises her fist to knock and hesitantly bring her knuckles to the wood.

The door opens to a curly red headed girl giggling. One sleeve of her dress is falling off her shoulder, purple love bites marring her pale skin. "Oh, excuse me."

She slips past Louis revealing Niall. His lips are red and kiss swollen, blond hair disheveled. His zipper is down while his hands are buttoning his long white sleeve shirt.

"Hey, sorry I tried to get rid of her sooner. I told her I had plans." He tries finger combing through his locks, but it’s not working out.

Louis blushes and looks almost upset, but then she remembers that this is what Niall does, so she really shouldn't be all that disappointed. "It's, uh, it's fine. Let's just get going because Nick and Harry are already there."

She doesn't mention the slight sheen of lipstick smeared across his cheek or the disgustingly purple hickey still visible to the world. She feels like she should help fix him though.

"Here." She swats his hands away from his button up. "You take care of your pants, I'll get your shirt."

Niall nods tugging the zipper of his jeans up. "There. Let's hurry sex builds up an appetite."

He exits the frat house pulling Louis by the wrist. Since he hadn't gotten sex the night of his birthday he's been frustrated and irritated. Now though, he feels a million times better. "Thanks for picking me up. I have no idea where this restaurant is."

"Yeah. No problem." Louis muttered. She knew this wasn't a date, but so far, he was pretty horrible.

He had just finished having sex with another girl before she showed up and he hadn't even taken notice of her outfit. She put effort into this God dammit!

She hops in the driver's seat and barely waits for him to be in before taking off towards the restaurant. "So, sorry in advance. You're probably going to be really bored. I honestly only asked you so I have someone to talk to while Harry and Nick start making out across from us."

Niall smirks. "If it gets bad we'll start making out to prove that it’s not bothering us." His smirk turns into a lithe smile. "You look really good. Red lips, wait I mean bombshell red, right?"

He snickers teasing the girl playfully. He glances out at the windshield hickey more visible with his head turned.

"Yeah, don't expect a lot of making out. This isn't a date, remember. I don't make out with random guys... At least, not sober anyway."

She can feel the blush creeping up her face. "You remembered my favourite shade of red? Huh, I was expecting you to forget."

Louis glances over and her cheer drops again as she could see the hickey clear as day. She turns back to the road and tightens her grip on the steering wheel.

"I wouldn't forget. When someone tells me something I remember." Niall rubs at the side of his neck wincing. "Fuck she bites. You're supposed to suck, not draw blood. My neck hurts."

He wants to ask another question, but he'd wait till they got to the restaurant to have something to talk about. "God I didn't get all my homework done. I hate my major, but I love it at the same time."

"You keep talking about this mysterious major. Just tell me what it is. It's only fair since you know mine." She changes lanes and slows down to make her turn into the parking lot.

Making the turn once traffic was clear, she spots Nick's car and parks right next to it. She undid her seatbelt and pulls the key from the ignition before turning to look at him.

"Thanks again. I know we just met and everything, but after... My other friend bailed on me, you were kind of the next viable option." She groans. "That didn't come out right."

Louis huffs and just leans forward to press her lips against his cheek. "How about I just leave it at thanks?"

She looks at the pair of bright red lips on his cheek and chuckles. Mission accomplished.

Niall chuckles, climbing out of the car. "It’s no problem. I had nothing better to do."

He opens the door for her walking in right behind her once she goes in. "Do you really wanna know what it is? Usually I tell everyone it’s in Music to keep from looking at me weird. I'll be entrusting you with this secret and I don't want anyone else to know."

Louis smiles; she hasn't even had to waste a question. "Of course I want to know. There's tons of stuff I want to know about you. Like why you want people to think you're in Music when it's obviously something bigger."

She walks up to the host and tells him what party she is looking for. She blushes at the quick once over and giant smile he gives her before escorting them to the table where Nick and Harry were already waiting.

Before she can even set her clutch down, the host is pulling her chair out for her and inclining his head to tell her to sit. She smiles graciously and lets herself be pampered for a second before greeting Harry and Nick.

"Hey, guys. You weren't waiting long were you? This kid wasn't ready when I got to the house." She rolls her eyes. "Frat boys."

Niall shot the guy a glare. "She has a date, fuck you very much." He sits down next to Louis, the harsh glare gone replaced with a smile and his casual laid back attitude.

"I'm majoring in Biochemical engineering." He shrugs his shoulders as if it were no big deal.

Harry giggles cuddling farther into Nick's side.

Nick smiles brightly and wraps an arm around Harry's waist and holds her tightly. So what if his hand faltered a little too low and rested just above her ass, that's what tonight was about... Well at least for Nick.

Harry bites her lip and maybe she lets his hand continue to wander down her back because she didn't much care. She likes Nick.

Nick leans over to whisper in Harry's ear. "How long are we required to focus on carrying a conversation before I can kiss you? This whole patience thing sucks." He bites at her earlobe and sucks it gently between his teeth.

Harry cups his jaw attaching their lips, tired of dancing around it.

Louis watches the host leave with an almost forlorn expression on his face. She wants to run after him and just cheer him up, but Niall was talking and that would be rude.

"That sounds way too smart for you. I mean, you just don't fit the role I guess." She shrugged. "Then again, the character isn't moulded for the actor, but quite the opposite."

She picks up the menu and leans over to whisper to him. "By the way, that was rude what you did to the host. This isn't a date, remember?"

Niall rolls his eyes. "He was staring at you sorry that it annoyed me."

He knows that he didn't look like the type to actually study something. "Yeah I'm in a frat so I have to be the stereotypical dumbass who doesn't know his left from his right."

"That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that you're confusing me by breaking all these stereotypes and I'm not really sure what a frat boy is anymore."

Louis grabs at the glass of water that Harry must have ordered for her before she came in and wraps her lips around the straw taking a quick sip. She sets it back down before continuing to berate the blond.

"I'm sorry that it annoyed you, but am I single girl. What if he wanted to ask me out and now he won't because he thinks we're together?"

"Well I guess that's his problem," Niall shrugs, "anyways don't believe every stereotype you hear. Not to sound arrogant, but I'm smarter than I come off."

Louis is about to retort when she sees Harry and Nick already going at it across the table. She merely sighed and shakes her head. "Didn't even make it till the soup. That a record." She mumbles under her breath and puts her menu up as a type of shield.

The sounds of wet tongues and the sucking and swapping of saliva can still be heard. "Quick, before I throw up. What's today's question?"

Niall puts his own menu up to help expand the barrier. He slumps in his seat keeping himself from seeing the two behind it. "Today's question?"

He thinks about it. He wants to ask a question that'll help him get to know her and one that required a long answer to distract him from the sounds of tongue against tongue. "Why do you like acting? I assume you like it considering you're a theatre major."

Louis smiles. She loves this question, like really loves it. No one ever thought to ask her why she did what she did and here he is, wanting to know.

"I love being someone I'm not. I mean, I'm pretty boring. I sleep, eat, act, repeat- but being able to put on another life and seeing how I might react in that situation? It's absolutely thrilling. When the University did Sound of Music last year and I got the part of Maria, I begged my mum to send me to Austria to see the country and walk the streets and learn the accent.

"I read every single piece of information I could about all the children and Captain Von Trapp. Then I researched Maria herself to see if the movie accurately portrayed her..."

She realises she’s rambling and blushes a deep scarlet colour. "Sorry, I got carried away there. I just get so passionate and ridiculous. Again, another thing about myself I don't really like." She chuckles nervously and flags down the waiter. She is definitely going to need alcohol to survive this night.

Niall frowns. "You shouldn't feel like that. It’s refreshing to see someone else passionate about what they're doing." He orders green tea his arm resting on the back of Louis' chair not wanting him to get any ideas like checking the girl out.

Louis smiles cautiously over at Niall before ordering a glass of wine (stupid restaurant and no beer). After being carded and made to show her ID, she turns back to Niall.

"Well, passionate is one step below crazy so let's hope I never get to that level." She looked over at her menu and could hear Harry and Nick still going at it.

"I guess it's my question now. Uh... Okay. What the hell made you want to be a biochemical engineer and why won't you tell anyone?"

The waiter returns and sets their drinks down before asking if they were ready or if they needed more time.

Niall nods to the waiter. "I'll take the House special. Make my steak medium well.”

He grabs his glass of complimentary water taking a rather long sip. He likes how impatient Louis is, it helps, makes it easier to tease her. "Technically isn't that two questions?"

Louis bites at her lip. "I'll do the Calypso chicken salad, but instead of crispy chicken can I get grilled? Thank you."

She looks over to see Nick and Harry have pulled away from each other long enough to order food. She's not quite sure where Nick's second hand is, not she honestly would rather know. She looks back to Niall and pouts. "No. It's not. I asked them together as one big question. That not cheating, that's smart."

She reaches for her wine and takes a sip and relishes the mix of sweet and bitter. She swirls it around her mouth, savouring the taste.

"Fair enough." He shrugs settling his glass on the table in front of them.

"My older brother developed pancreatic cancer when he was eleven. I was six. Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest, it deteriorates the human body within a year. No one survives from it considering it attacks a vital organ and you can't replace it." Niall pauses. His brother was a sensitive subject.

"He died six months later on Easter. I didn't understand it I was really young you know? Well as I got older I got angrier. Why did I not get to know him? Well with biochemical engineering there are different jobs. One is creating cures and that's what I wanna do. I don't want anyone else to hurt or feel what I did."

"Niall…" Louis reaches out, grabs Niall's knee, and squeezes it. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

She couldn't imagine having to watch one of her brothers waste away and die. "I'm sure he's proud of you. I..."

She had no clue what to say to him. It was weird to think of Niall having to go through something like that. He was just really happy all the time and not at all what she expected someone with that kind of story to be like. She takes another huge sip of her wine and manages to finish it off this time. She caught eyes to their waiter silently asking for another glass.

Niall smiles kissing Louis' cheek softly repeating what she had said. "How about we just leave it at thanks?"

\------------

Niall's at the cafe counter once again waiting for his coffee. Louis' friend who works there (not Harry she was with Nick) is flirting with him, twirling her blonde hair and blushing.

"You know I really, really like blondes. Blondes have more fun right?" He runs his fingers up the girl's arm. Looking at her name tag, he catches her name as Perrie.

Louis comes back from kitchen and sees Perrie and Niall at the counter. She feels her stomach twist a little and she wonders if she's getting sick.

"Hey, Niall. Didn't think you'd be here today." She walks up next to Perrie and tosses an arm around her shoulder and swats Niall's hand away when she gets near enough. "So what can I get you? Black coffee and a muffin? Or do you want something new?" She didn't really like the way he seemed to have Perrie wrapped around his finger already.

Niall stares at the pretty blonde. "I know what I want, but she's not on the menu." He waves Louis off. "Coffee sounds... Whatever. I'll take a muffin." He runs his fingers back up Perrie's forearm.

Louis huffs and grabs his cup and again writes 'coffee, black- like his soul' on the side before leaving him to try and seduce Perrie (and let's be honest, the girl was pretty and dumb as a box of rocks, he was probably going to get some).

She took two muffins out and proceeded to warm one up for herself and place his in a small bag. She squeezed past Perrie to get to the register and punch in the two muffins and the coffee. "That'll be five sixty-nine."

Niall hands her the money. "Hey, Perrie you wanna come sit with me? You're allowed breaks and there's no one else here. I'm sure Louis can hold down the fort." He hopes Louis could do him this one favour.

Perrie smiles brightly and nods eagerly. "Yeah! Louis just took her break. It's time for mine." She tosses her visor and apron onto the back counter and practically sprints to the other side to plaster herself onto the gorgeous boy.

Louis snatches the money from his hand and counts out his change before practically throwing it at him. She tosses the bag to him. "Here's your muffin. I'll bring you your coffee when it's done."

Niall sits down in the same spot near the window. He helps Perrie into the seat next to him setting his baggie down. "Why don't we skip breakfast and go straight to dessert?" He curls his fingers around her jaw bringing their lips together.

Louis nearly drops Niall's coffee when she looks up and sees the two of them kissing- and she's pretty sure that's Perrie's hand on his thigh. She catches herself though and only manages to burn her hand a little bit.

She grabs the sharpie up off the counter and pops the lid on his cup. She holds it up and writes, 'Question 4: Are you always such a douche to your friends when there's a pretty girl around or is it just for me? Or is it that we aren't friends and this just normal behaviour for you?'

She caps the marker and takes the cup out and sets it on the table with the question facing him.

Niall licks across Perrie's bottom lip. His hands run down her sides gripping her hips. "Mm, nice lips."He ignores his coffee deciding he'd drink it when he was done. He pushes his tongue into her mouth enjoying the warmth that greeted him.

Perrie moans into his mouth. "They're a lot better at other things besides kissing. Maybe you can find out after my shift. I'm off in," she looks at the clock on the wall behind them, "ten minutes."

Louis nearly dies from second hand embarrassment and honestly just wants the ground to open up and swallow her whole. The small oven dings and she takes the muffin that Niall paid for out and tried to make herself scarce while they descended into a less then decent display of lust.

Perrie pulled back. "If that's what you want though, I have to count my register." She grazes her hand against his crotch. "Is that what you want?"

Niall can feel himself growing hard and fuck he wants her. "Yeah I do. Ten minutes sounds good."

He turns to his cup noticing the question. A frown tugs at his lips and he can't help feeling guilty, but he doesn't know why. He finds a pen lying around and begins writing across the napkin.

Perrie gets up and tries to get some look of dignity back. She gets back to the other side of the counter to start counting her drawer. "Hey, Louis. I'm dipping out early. If Simon comes into checkup, tell him I wasn't feeling well."

Louis looks up at the blonde in shock. "Are you kidding me? We're the only people scheduled to work today and we haven't even gotten the night rush yet. You can't leave me to work that by myself."

Perrie glared. "Um, I can and I'm going too. Look, I know that you don't have a sex drive, but some of like to get fucked by blond frat boys. Okay? Good."

Louis watched as the blonde turned back to her drawer and continued to count, but she was too nice to say anything else. She looked over to see Niall scribbling on a napkin.

Niall finishes his answer. He stands up making his way to the counter. "Hey, Perrie. I think I'll pass tonight. Maybe some other time."

Perrie frowned. "Uh, okay?"

He smiles to Louis handing her five pounds as a tip and a napkin. "I'll see you around."

Niall had written on the tissue: 'Are we friends?'

Louis takes the napkin and the cash and looks up at him questioningly. She saw his back retreating from the cafe and sighed. Grabbing her phone, she opened a new text screen and answered his question.

'You can't answer a question with a question. That doesn't count as an actual answer. As for your question... I thought we were, but if I'm just some chick you're trying to fuck then I guess you and I know both know the answer to that.'

Niall's reply is short. 'Then I guess we're not friends.'

Louis can feel the tears spring to her eyes. Her reply is just as short. ‘Fine. Delete my number. Game over.'

\------------

Niall's at his desk textbooks opened and scattered across the wood surface. He not only has a major test, but he has to campaign for reelection as vice president. He hasn't really left his room wearing a white Sigma Nu sweatshirt with black and yellow lettering and some basketball shorts. He groans quietly closing one of the five books.

Nick quietly knocks on Niall's door and pushes it open. He's carrying a pie from his baking class and a six pack and looking at the ground sheepishly. "You, uh, missed dinner and I figured that you wouldn't, um, be coming down so I snagged a pie for you."

He cautiously walks in and drops himself on the bed and sets the gifts in front of him on the mattress. He bites his lip and tries to be gentle with the upcoming topic. "Are, uh, are you and Louis... Together? Or are you fucking or something?"

Niall leans back in his chair. "I don't date, Nick. I haven't since freshman year, you know why." He snatches the plate up pushing a cherry around with his fork. "And no we weren't fucking, Louis' not into that."

He cuts a piece off by using the silverware to wedge at the food eating the small bite.

"Well if you're not dating and you're not fucking, then what happened? Harry said that all Louis does anymore is sleep and barely eat. She hasn't gone to class in three days and Harry can hardly get her out of her room."

Nick sighs and grabs a beer and pops the cap off before handing it to Niall and grabbing one for himself. "I mean, you guys looked okay when we went on that double date."

Niall looks pointedly at the president of the house. "She was calling me names so I asked her if we were friends. She said that we weren't if all I want to do is fuck her. I was honest and confirmed that we weren't friends."

He takes a swig of the beer. Cherry pie and alcohol didn't go together very well. "I'm glad you major in culinary arts. This is fucking delicious. If only my mum cooked… Or could cook."

Nick sighs. "She was calling you names? You mean to tell me you weren't being a douche? Yeah, she told Harry what she called you. She also said you were basically ignoring her for some other girl.”

He sighs once more. "Niall, I hate getting involved with feelings and shit, but I'm siding with Louis on this one. You never tell a girl you're only talking to her to fuck her. Someone always gets hurt." He stood up and looked back at the boy. "I hope you don't want to get reelected as Vice President. Especially since you're doing to Louis exactly what Zayn did to you."

With that, Nick walks out of the room and shuts the door behind him.

Niall frowns. He was not Zayn. She was a bitch and a user. He didn't use Louis. He didn't make her fall in love with him. He stands up pacing his room. He didn't mean to hurt her. He was positive Louis didn't want him as a friend. He isn't the type of friend she needs.

But maybe she was the type of friend he needs. He sends a text to the girl.

'Can we talk? I know you don't want to see me but please?'

The response is almost instant. 'Why? So you can ignore me and try to get with the prettier girl standing next to me? No thank you.'

'No, Louis. No girls just you and I.'

'Fine. But I'm not getting all dolled up. You're stuck with sweats and a hoodie. Meet me at the cafe in ten minutes.'

'I don't care how you look. Can you come to the frat instead?'

'Fine make that twenty minutes then.'

\------------

Louis sighs as she crosses the street to the frat house. When Harry heard that she was leaving the room, the green eyed girl made her get dressed and everything.

She was now wearing a pair of black shorts with white polka dots that came down to her mid-thigh with a sheer white sleeveless button up with a black Peter Pan collar and black flats. Her hair had been brushed and tousled into a messy style by Harry herself and the curly haired girl had even done Louis' make up.

Louis protested the entire time telling Harry that she was only going to see Niall and that looking good wasn't a requirement, but once Harry sets her mind on something there's no stopping her.

She huffs as she finds herself outside the frat's door. She hesitantly knocks and waits for someone (she half hopes for Niall, half hopes for anyone but) to open the door for her.

Niall's been waiting in the living room the entire time while six of his brothers were lounging around watching television. He jumps up opening the door. He hates what Louis does to him, especially dressed the way she is. "Hey... Uh, come in."

Louis nods and heads in and awkwardly hangs in the middle of the entryway unsure of what to do. She turns to look at him and really wishes she were in her sweats and hoodie right now. "Sorry it took so long. Harry insisted that I at least look decent when I left." She rubs at her uncovered arm and winces slightly when she hits a still healing bruise from rehearsals.

"So what do you want to talk about? I mean, I assume you want to talk and not just get me alone." She says a little snappy. It was a reflex. She was still really hurt by what he had implied the other day.

Niall swallows thickly. "I want to talk, but my brothers are loud. Do you mind if we go to my room? I swear I'm not trying anything." He has her follow behind him cutting through the living room. He shoots Nick a look so he knows he's going to talk to Louis.

She scoffs, but follows behind him nonetheless. She wants to hear him out and believe that he's not the dumbass frat boy she made him out to be. She wants to believe there's more to him than snapbacks and tank tops.

Louis heads up the stairs behind him and she can hear the catcalls and shouts of praise coming from the others as they head into Niall's room. She sits on the bed gingerly and crosses her arms over her chest. "Okay. Now what do you want?"

Niall closes the door, but he sits on his computer chair to make her more comfortable. "We need to talk about what I said." He rubs at the nape of his neck trying to think of something to say. "I've been in bad situations. I don't mean to be rude, but it happens. I'm not blaming the circumstances, but I'm kind of fucked up and I don't want to have sex with you. Well I do, but I want to be friends."

Louis sighs. "I just want to know what even possessed you to say that? I mean, I thought we were okay, on the way to being good friends, but then you just brushed me aside when prettier girl with a bigger chest came along. I don't want our friendship to end when a pretty girl comes around because my two best mates are a million times prettier than I am and I'd like to be able to hang out with all of you and not worry about you shutting me out."

She doesn't want to cry, but fuck it hurt. "It really, really hurt me when you told me you were only interested in my body and sex. Especially since I already told you that I don't do that."

She sighs. "Look, I've only had sex twice and I thought they both were different. You know what they did? Moved on to another girl after they got what they wanted. That's why I won't sleep around. I'm done falling for the wrong guy."

Niall nods; he sort of understands. He polishes off the beer Nick brought him but he never finished. "Look... Lou, I'm going to be honest."

He tosses the bottle in the recycling bin next to the trash. "You're fucking beautiful, but we're only friends so of course I'm going to flirt with girls. I'm not going to brush you off though. I don't have friendships with girls. Usually I avoid them or fuck them. I want to try being friends with you though."

She smiles softly. "That's all I want. I don't care if you flirt with girls, but that thing with Perrie wasn't flirting."

Louis groans and flops onto her back on his bed. "Why can't things be easy? Why can't we just be friends without it being hard and weird?"

At this point, with a normal girl, Niall would have had crawled over her and fucked her, but he had to resist his urges to do so. "What do you mean I wasn't flirting with her? Speaking of which, I need to talk to her and reschedule. A girl can't just insinuate a blowjob without following through."

"You're kidding me, right? Shoving your tongue down a girl's throat is not flirting. That's just straight up disgusting. Not to mention vulgar and not crowd appropriate."

Niall doesn't comment about what he thinks is flirting. He finishes off the pie he was given eyes glancing at the stack of flyers sitting on his desk. "I never fully answered your question when we went out to eat."

She looked over at him and frowned. "What are you talking about? You told me about your brother."

He shakes his head. "No, I never said why I don't want anyone to know."

He leans back in his seat eying the stack of papers. "I'm embarrassed I guess. In the frat we're supposed to be cool. If they knew I was a nerd, my social life would be over."

"Niall, I'm sure they won't care. Nick is a culinary arts major. If they can deal with a baker, they can deal with a biochemical engineer. Being smart shouldn't affect how someone views you on a personal level."

Louis shifts over and pats the mattress next to her. "If we weren't friends, why would you trust me with that information?"

Niall sits next to her cautiously. "Well, I thought if I were honest when you asked me questions then you'd be honest when I asked you questions." He shrugs his shoulders staring down at his carpet. "You can ask me a question."

Louis scrunches her nose. "What day are we on? Five or are we counting those three days and making us on day seven?"

She rolls her head over to look up at him. "That way I know what level of depth the question needs to be." She smiled lightly up him.

Niall thinks about it. "You can ask me three questions and I'll ask you three." He lies on the bed next to her creating a barrier between them with his pillow making sure Louis doesn't feel uncomfortable or awkward.

Louis frowns and thinks about what to ask him. She didn't want to go to deep, but she wanted to really get to know him. "Okay... What are your parents like? What's your hometown like? Why would you come all the way to London for college?"

She hoped they weren't too personal, but they were questions that she had been wondering about since that night at dinner.

Niall stares at the ceiling a frown on his face. "Well my dad loves me. He's amazing, but it’s my mum. She fell into a depression when Greg passed. She forgot she had another son."

He shrugs his shoulders. "My hometown... I didn't have any friends. I was too smart, a nerd you know? I got made fun of. I just wanted to get away from Mullingar." Niall's head lulls to the side to look at her. "That's why I came out here; I don't really have anything back in Ireland."

Louis looks confused for a second. "I thought you absolutely loved Ireland. Now you're saying there's nothing in Ireland for you..."

She dropped her chin on the pillow separating them from each other and looked over at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry about your mum. I don't really know what it's like to have something like that happen, but I do know what it's like to have a parent who isn't there."

Niall smiles softly. "I love my heritage I just don't particularly love the people there."

His smile drops, eyebrows raised. "Guess it’s my turn to ask. What part of London are you from? How many siblings do you have? Which parent isn't there and what happened to them?"

Louis smiles brightly. "I'm not from London at all. I'm from a town in South Yorkshire called Doncaster. It's about two hours from central London by train." Her smile slips from her face as she thinks about her family. She really misses them. "I have four younger brothers. Charles, Franklin, Phoenix, and Daniel. They're the best. I couldn't ask for better siblings. As for my parents..."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "My dad walked out after Phoenix and Daniel were born. Just said he didn't love my mum anymore and that he hated all of us. I tried so hard to get him to stay... A week later I saw him in town with some redhead and she was pregnant. He left us for another family."

Niall cups her jaw thumb stroking the high cheekbone. It takes him a minute to register what he's doing. He drops his hand like he had been burned. He's not supposed to care. "I'm sorry."

He gets off his bed not able to make himself stay next to her. He couldn't care, Louis didn't care about him. All girls were the same.

Louis frowns when he left her there. Friends comforted each other and he was leaving her. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong."

She sighs heavily and wonders if they just aren't there yet. She gets up and tugs at the lower hem of her shorts to fix them. "Maybe I should go. I'll... I'll text you tomorrow. I have an evening rehearsal, but I'm free from three fifteen till about six. Maybe we can grab some dinner in the mess hall or something."

Niall nods staring at the Irish flag hanging on his wall. His left palm rubs up and down his right forearm absently. "Yeah sounds fine."

He looks away leading Louis downstairs. "So I'll see you tomorrow then." He opens the front door for her still not able to even glance at her.

"Yeah... I guess. Did I, uh... Nevermind." She sighs and looks over her shoulder at her dorm building. "Um, see you, Niall." She gives him one more soft and slightly shy smile before turning and heading back towards her dorm.

Niall closes the door behind her. He walks back into the living room cutting the view of the television off. "I need to tell you all something."

He's following Louis' advice. If they were his friends they wouldn't care. "I'm not a music major."

Nick furrows his brow. "What? You've telling us you're a music major for three years. Did you change it or something?"

The other boys look around in confusion. "You change to a theatre major? Is that why that chick keeps showing up here?"

Niall groans under his breath. He had been made fun of in Mullingar hopefully they wouldn't do the same. "I've never been a music major and that chick has a name; it’s Louis."

He stops talking briefly to let that sink in. "I'm majoring in biochemical engineering."

There's a silence for a second before the house turns chaotic.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"You're smart?"

"You could have been helping me in science!"

"Chemical? So like drugs?"

"Is Louis single?"

Everyone stops to look at Sean.

"What? She's got a rocking body. Her legs are long as fuck and she's nice and tan. Girl can suck, ride, or take my dick any day."

Niall's face flushes red glaring at Sean. "She doesn't sleep around, tosser. Have a little more respect for her, yeah?" He falls silent but quickly snaps at him again. "You fucking touch her I'll cut your prick off."

Sean pales a little. "Are you dating her then? If not, then she's up for grabs. You can't fault me for wanting a piece of that ass. Bet she tastes amazing."

Nick looks over at Sean, trying to will him to shut up. He'll be the first to admit that he doesn't get Niall and Louis'... Whatever they're calling it, but he does know that Niall isn't playing around here. The Irishman looks dead serious.

"Uh," he tries to deflect Niall's attention. "That's cool, mate. We all have out secrets and our past. We're just happy that you decided to share it with us now."

Niall grips his hair taking a step towards Sean, narrowing his eyes. "I don't date Sean. We're friends but I swear to God! If you so much as lay a finger on her I'll kill you in your sleep. Asshole."

Sean growled. "So much for bros before hos." He had really been hoping to invite Louis to the next frat party and get her drunk and have a little fun. "I still don't get how she doesn't get around. She'd be a fantastic fuck."

Niall sneers pushing Sean back against his seat. "Stop talking about her like that. You try anything and I'll fuck your sister and advertise it all over campus." He shakes his head sighing. "Louis' off limits and if any of you respect the guy code you'll leave her alone."

Sean sneers. "Fine, bro, but if she comes on to me, then taking my shot." He shoves Niall off of him and storms up to his room.

He turns back to the others. "I didn't tell you I was smart because... I used to be bullied for it and I thought if I told you lot it'd happen again." He tries to calm himself down turning back to Nick. "Most of you are my friends I don't want any more secrets."

Nick nods and smiles widely. "We love you, Niall. In a completely platonic way of course."

Niall smiles brightly. "We have a party next week, then the Halloween party afterwards." Part of being vice president was also coordinating events.

Nick sighs. "Yeah. We gotta do something this week though, even if it's just the frat and their girls." He smiles. "That's it! We'll have just the boys and their girls over on Friday. I can invite Harry!" He sighs happily and rests his head against the back of the couch.

Niall quirks an eyebrow in his direction. "I don't have a girl though. I guess I'll be the odd man out." He shrugs his shoulders taking Sean's previous spot on the sofa. "So what's up with you and Harry? Just fuck buddies or what?"

Nick quirks a brow back at him. "It doesn't have to be someone you're sleeping with. I kind of meant you should invite Louis. Harry said she used to be lots of fun at parties back in high school."

He sighs and groans. "Who the hell knows what Harry and me are. I really like her and I'd love to continue this after college, but I never know if she's just looking for a shag or if she's serious."

Niall nods his head sending a text to the girl. 'Nick will invite Harry but do you wanna be my pretend date Friday? The frat are all inviting their girls to hang out and drink at the house. You wanna be my girl?'

He frowns eying his best friend. "Just talk to her. If I could befriend a girl you can talk to yours. Is the sex good at least?"

Nick sighs. "God the sex is fantastic. Harry is super flexible and a fucking freak in the sheets. I swear, if I told her I wanted to start tying her up and putting a vibrator in her overnight before fucking her, she'd probably try it. She seriously has like no boundaries."

Louis replies quickly. 'Even if I said no, Harry will drag me there. Luckily for her, I definitely want to be your girl. I'm expecting payment in beer and lots of it.'

Niall wrinkles his nose in disgust. "Jesus it was a yes or no question I didn't need details. Ugh, now that's all I'll think about next time I see her."

He blushes pink at the text even though he used the same context. 'There will be plenty.'

Nick frowns. "We haven't done that! Stop picturing her like that! That's my girl! You have your own girl to make fantasies about!"

He settles down and looks at the clock. "Alright. I've got a seven o'clock class and it's nearly nine. I'm going to my room to write a paper for that horrible class. Night, guys. And, Niall, text Louis about Friday."

Niall waves his phone around. "Already texted her. She's coming." He brings his legs onto the couch arms behind his head. "Today's what? Wednesday?"

"Tuesday, mate. It'll be Wednesday in like three hours. Did you really lose track of the days?" Nick chuckles and takes out his phone as he heads towards the stairs while sending Harry a text about Friday.

"Don't you have a test or something you should be studying for, Ni?"

"Fuck." Niall groans heading up the staircase behind Nick. "I hate this. I hate school." He grumbles like a child. He decides to send one last text to Louis. 'Night (:'

\------------

Louis checks her phone and sees that she has an hour until she has to get to rehearsal. She still needs to eat and take her books back to her dorm. Since she was already in the dining hall, she texts Niall to join her.

'Dinner in the mess hall? Have an hour until rehearsals and there is no way I'm doing a three hour rehearsal on an empty stomach.'

'Already on my way.' Niall had been walking towards the cafeteria considering Louis asked him to dinner not too long ago.

It’s getting cold and he can no longer wear tank tops but hoodies, although the snapbacks were still present in his wardrobe.

He pushes the door open spotting the brunette right away. He heads to the line getting a plateful of spaghetti. "Hey." He smiles sitting across from her.

She looks up from her salad and smiles. "Hey. Thanks for eating with me. I hate eating alone." She takes a bite of the greens in front of her. "So how was your day? Nick said something about a big test. How did that go?"

Niall sighs shrugging his shoulders. "Not sure. Usually I do great if I think I didn’t do well and I think I bombed, so we'll see." He starts shoving mouthfuls of noodles seeming to swallow without chewing, sauce getting all around his lips.

Louis laughs. He ate like a child. She was sure he'd end up with more on his face than in his stomach. "You got a little something all around your mouth." She hands him a napkin and frowns down at her food. "I can't wait for this show to be over and I can eat whatever I want again."

She reaches across and steals a noodle from his plate before quickly eating it before he could try and get it back from her.

Niall pouts wiping his lips off. "You look great, Lou. Why do you need to be on a diet or whatever?"

He doesn't complain about her stealing some of his food. He twirls strands of noodles onto the fork holding it up to her mouth. "At least have a bite."

"Trust me. I don't want to be on this diet. The director put me and Maz on diets until closing night. He's worried about the costumes not fitting and since they're rental costumes, we can't adjust them." Louis shrugs and shakes her head.

"No thanks. Just have to hold out till Sunday. Then I'll never have to squeeze into that ridiculous cat suit again." She stabs a tomato and eats it quickly.

"Louis, it’s one bite you won't gain thirty pounds." He groans pointedly looking at her.

"We only have an hour. Question number eight?" He raises an eyebrow stuffing a meatball in his mouth.

She shrugs. "It's only four more days. I can make it. Oh! That reminds me. You absolutely cannot let me get totally trashed on Friday. Opening night of our show is Saturday and I need to be on my A-game."

She frowns, thinking. "What do you see in girls like Perrie that make you want them?" She bit her lip hoping she hadn't gone too far.

Niall thinks about the question. He doesn't want to sound like an asshole, but he was going to either way. "They're easy." He shrugs taking another bite. "How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

She blushes. She should have been expecting a sex question in return. "Eighteen. First week of college. Delta Chi frat boy."

Louis looks back down at her food suddenly unable to make eye contact with the blond. She cleared her throat. "I, uh, forgot to ask. Do you maybe want to come see my show on Sunday? I was given five free tickets and so far four are taken. Wanna be my guest?"

Niall chuckles. "You're going to tolerate my friends and me on Friday. I think I'll more than enjoy seeing such a beautiful girl on stage."

He stops himself from continuing. He's only ever genuinely called one other girl beautiful and it makes him nauseous to think he's doing it again.

Louis perks up at his answer. She thought for sure he'd say no. "Really? Oh, Niall! You're the best!"

She gets up from her seat and runs to the other side of the table and flings her arms around his neck. "This is going to be so great! All my closest friends will be there and we can grab a bite to eat afterwards ‘cause I'll finally be able to eat anything I want!"

Niall's arms stay in his lap, but he smiles against her neck. "It's honestly no problem. I can be a great friend you know." He hesitantly brings one hand up rubbing her back with the palm of his hand.

He's screwed, really.

\------------

Louis is running across campus trying to get to her dorm as fast as possible. Rehearsal had run over since it was the last one before the curtains opened and the director yelled at Louis because... Well she was coming up on her time of the month and she was bloated and couldn't fit in the cat suit that night.

She makes it to her door and rushes in. Thank god Harry left an outfit out for her before heading to the house. She quickly changes and gave herself a once over. It wasn't too bad. A low cut, bright red romper that nearly exposed her breasts with long sleeves that were quite big and made her feel kind of ridiculous, but it stopped barely low enough to cover her ass.

She sighs and slips a pair of black flats on and did a quick touch up to her final scene stage makeup. She winces as she realises she still had the hair extensions from rehearsal in, but she didn't have time to take them out so she just brushes and straightens them and winces as the long hair cascaded down to stop just under breasts.

"Whatever." She mumbles as she grabs her phone and takes off to the frat house. She was about an hour late, but hopefully Niall would understand. She quickly knocks and tries to catch her breath.

Niall's antsy, but he stays calm. At first he thought for sure she wouldn't come, but Harry had assured him. They hadn't seen each other since dinner in the mess hall Wednesday, Louis having rehearsals.

"More beer." He gets a bottle, but he doesn't have time to open it when he hears the knock. He jumps up yanking the door open, breath catching in his throat.

"Jesus... Um, yeah come on in." He curls his fingers around Louis' wrist leading her to the living room. "Hey, guys, you know Louis."

Louis smiles bashfully and nearly plasters herself to Niall's side she's able to produce a small wave. "Hey. Sorry I'm late. Rehearsal was horrendous and ran over."

She spots Harry across the room with Nick and makes her way over to her friend. She hugs her and thanks her for leaving something out for. "Couldn't have picked something less revealing though? I feel like my tits are going to fall out."

Harry grins. "I'm sure no one here minds. Besides all the girls here look like sluts. Go talk to your boyfriend, not me!" She curls farther into Nick's side wearing underwear and Nick's Sigma Nu sweatshirt that fell below the curve of her ass.

Niall sits on one edge of the sofa popping the lid off his beer.

"He's not my- Ugh! Nevermind." She heads back over to Niall and sits next to him on the couch.

Slipping her flats off, she brings her legs up and tucks them underneath her and leans into Niall's side. "Hey. Sorry again. Mister Price had to keep me after to go over my eating schedule. Didn't fit in the damn costume."

She nicks his beer from his hand and takes a small swig before handing it back. "I'll go get my own."

Before she could even stand, an open bottle was being handed to her. "Oh, thanks, uh..."

"Sean. Sean Cullen. It's the least I could do. If you need another one, let me know."

Niall shoots Sean a glare. "To stop any pickup line you were planning to use, she did not fall from Heaven, you did not lose your number and need hers, she isn't free for dinner, and her legs don't open." He tucks Louis into his side arm around her shoulders. He smiles softly at her. "Sean tries to fuck everything, ignore him."

Louis smiles back before turning to face Sean. "Sorry, but Niall's right. My legs don't open for anyone. Niall can attest to that."

She takes a large gulp of her drink and could practically feel the stress melting away with the intake of alcohol. "Remember, I can't get smashed. Opening night is tomorrow."

Niall isn't really listening although he should be. He takes another swig swirling his liquid around. He's two beers in before he decides to stop drinking. He has Louis with him and he's in no mood to get wasted. He's exhausted from the week and he ends up nodding off.

\------------

It's been three hours since Louis arrived and things are absolutely mental. The music is cranked up as loud as it could possibly be, couples are making out or basically dry humping each other, and Louis has lost count of how many beers she's had (Sean kept getting her new ones).

She's got a full beer in her hand and she pressed again Harry, who's pressed against Nick. She's laughing hysterically as she and her friend grind against each other as Nick tries to subtly touch himself without anyone noticing.

Moments later, she finds herself on the couch again with Niall (who managed to sleep through all of this) and Louis laughs loudly before climbing into the passed out boy's lap and pressing her lips against the pulse point in his neck and began licking and biting at the pale skin beneath her mouth.

Niall squirms in his sleep nose crinkling and eyebrows furrowing, but he's still asleep.

Harry cups Nick through his jeans, but her eyes are on Louis. "Lou, what are you doing? He's asleep and he's not your boyfriend."

Niall sits up slightly eyes cracking open.

Louis giggles as she saw Niall's eyes open slightly. "Morning, blondie. Fancy a little bit of fun?"

Before Niall could even reply, Louis roughly presses her lips against his and moans at the taste. She couldn't describe it, but she would do her best.

She pulls back and starts to squeeze at his biceps and generally feel him up. "You taste like Ireland. I want more."

Niall's groggy blurry vision scans the room. When had he fallen asleep? And when had Louis gotten so... Intense? "Louis, what are you doing? There are people around."

His hands lazily squeeze her hips and he wonders how he had slept through the noise but woke up because of a few kisses to his Adam's apple.

"You want to know a secret?" She purrs in his ear. "I was super jealous of Perrie that day in the cafe. I just wanted to rip her hair out and shove my tongue down your throat." She lowers her mouth to his ear and giggles lightly. "Guess I'm finally going to get what I want."

She captures his lips again and swipes across his bottom lip. Her hands wander from his arms to his thighs and squeeze them tightly.

Niall moans into her mouth hands gripping her pelvis appreciatively. "Mm, show me how jealous you were."

Harry, who's busy kissing Nick, pulls away. "Looks like Niall's getting some." She says loudly.

Louis grinds her hips down against him and tosses her head back at the sensation. A loud moan rips itself from her throat and she continues to grind slowly against him.

Her mouth his at his neck, moving slowly up. She makes it to his it's jaw, sucking and biting at the skin till she's at his ear panting heavily and trying to hold back moans. "You're room? I want you inside me."

"Fuck, Louis. Up now." He's too hard and aroused to care when he pushes her off. At least she landed on the couch.

He can't wait for something as trivial as walking; opting for throwing her over his shoulder and marching up the stairs, slamming his room door behind him. "Gonna fuck you so hard." He pants dropping her onto the large bed.

"Yes. Fuck me so good. Fill me up and make me cum." She reaches down and rubs at herself trying to get a little of the friction she so desperately needed. "So wet for you." She tries to reach inside her clothes to get at herself, but the romper made it impossible.

"Fuck, Niall. Please." She begs for him to do something; her drunken mind too far gone to realise how to get the clothing off of herself.

Niall moans, the sound vibrating off the walls. He climbs onto the bed unzipping the romper and tugging it off. "Fuck, you have a nice body.”

He breathes out sloppily kissing down her throat. He gets to the swell of her breasts licking along where the bra began. Niall can't wait much longer he discards his shirt and shorts leaving him in a pair of Calvin Klein briefs.

Louis' world is spinning and everything is blurring together. She doesn't really comprehend anything except for the fact that Niall is above her and pleasure is racing through her.

She squeezes her eyes tightly trying to get the spinning to stop, but a queasiness takes hold of her and she feels faint. She gasps for air as her vision darkens and the last thing she sees before passing out is Niall's blond hair at her chest.

Niall looks up in confusion. He shakes her shoulder gently. "Louis? Louis?"

He's hard for Christ's sake and she's passed out. He's so close to actually achieving what he's been after. "Louis!"

She isn't budging and neither is his erection. He gets to his feet taking care of himself in the bathroom. This is becoming too normal for him.

\------------

The first thing Louis takes note of when she cracks her eyes open is how she's never drinking again. The second thing she notices is that she's not in her dorm room.

She sits straight up and that was probably the worst idea she's ever had. She clutches at her head and tries to calm the tremble in her stomach to keep herself from throwing up.

When she thinks she can make it, she takes note of the room and tries to place where she is. It clicks immediately when her eyes land on an Irish flag.

"Oh, no..." She checks the mattress next to her and sees Niall sprawled out and naked from what she can see. She carefully lifts the blanket to see that he still had his boxers on, but that doesn't really calm her down.

She grasps his shoulder and shakes him fiercely. "Niall! Niall, get up!"

Niall blinks a few times looking around the room. Much like last night, his vision is out of focus and he's extremely dazed. He glances at Louis eyes half lidded. "Hm?"

It takes him a moment to realize that they're in his dorm room. "Why are you in my room?" The minute the question leaves his mouth he realizes what's happened. He had been sober last night.

"I was kind of hoping you could answer that. I don't... I don't remember anything." She looks down at herself and her eyes widen. She’s nearly naked minus the red bra and underwear she had put on yesterday morning. She feels like crying because Niall was supposed to be a friend.

"Did we... Oh, God. Did we have sex? I can't... I don't..." She hides her face in her hands.

Niall sits up cautiously resting his hand in between her shoulder blades. "No, sweetheart. We didn't have sex."

He sighs quietly not used to having to comfort an upset girl. Usually if a girl was upset it's because of him either turning them down or kicking them out after sex. "Sean's been trying to get in your pants. I fell asleep and he was probably trying to get you drunk."

She tries to take it all in and process everything he's saying, but some of it just doesn't add up. "How did I get to your room? Where are my clothes?"

She starts looking around the room trying to piece together everything from last night. She remembers kissing someone and the pleasure running through her as someone had played with her breasts. It's all phantom feels though and she doesn't know what to believe.

She looks up at Niall and she can feel the tears in her eyes. "I knew coming to this would be a bad idea. I'm so fucking stupid."

She breaks down into sobs and wraps her arms around herself to try and create the illusion of her mum comforting her or one of her brothers trying to calm her.

Niall bites into his lip, tugging the girl into his lap and arms wrapping around her torso. He lightly kisses her shoulder blade, but he doesn't even know what he's doing himself. "Well, you woke me up by climbing into my lap and shoving your tongue in my throat. I mean I didn't know what you were doing, but I went along with it."

She stiffens in his arms. She doesn't remember any of that. She's not sure what hurts worse, the fact that she came onto him drunk or that he went along with it even though he knew how she felt about that kind of thing.

"We're you drunk? Did you know what you were doing?" Her voice was small and barely audible, but she needs to know.

Niall bites into his lip. What he says could ruin their friendship, but lying could make it worse. "I only had two beers and I slept them off. I was pretty sober."

He's waiting for the inevitable blow up or for her to push him away. "You were begging me to fuck you and I'm used to doing it so I carried you up here. We got undressed and I kind of messed around with your chest, but you fell asleep so I left you alone."

Louis doesn't know how to feel. She's furious that Niall would even think about fucking her while he was sober enough to know that was not what she wanted. But, she was relieved when he said he had stopped when she passed out.

"Here's your question for the day. It's kind of long and it's multiple questions, but they all go together. Why? What makes you think it's okay to treat women like this? I mean you go around sleeping with girls and never even think about their feelings. Did you know when a girl has sex for the first time, she eighty-five percent more likely to fall in love than if they had just gone out to dinner? Why would you fuck around with a girl's emotions like that?"

She's still crying and in need of comfort, but she pushes him away not wanting him to touch her at all.

Niall's face falls. He stares at the blanket lying across his lap. He knows why he does it. He knows why he sleeps around and it hurts to think about it. Hurts to remember and he's about to fucking cry.

"Zayn Malik," he whispers and if Louis weren't crying the room would be quiet.

"What about her? What did she do that makes you put your dick into girls and then leave them? You're going to have to give me a little more to go on a close friend's name." She gets up from the bed and grabs at one of Niall's shirts that laying around. She just wants to be covered and putting her romper back on is too much work.

It’s silent for a long time. He's looking out at his window, college kids scattered across the courtyard.

His bottom lip quivers and he's remembering. Freshman year is just racing through his mind. A virgin in college and meeting the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her long black hair and tanned skin, the way her lips curved or how her tongue rolled over his name, the look on her face when they made love, and the look on his when things started falling apart.

His chest is wound so tight he can't breathe. Everything is coming out in shuddery pants. His jaw clenches, throat burning. Tears are welling and he can't stop them from falling. He can't believe how the tables turned and now he's the girl. He can't believe he's crying in front of someone. His darkest days had been spent crying alone, not with someone there. He's supposed to be a tough frat boy, but hearing her name makes him feel just as vulnerable and helpless as he did his first year.

"You already asked your question for the day." He pauses to hastily wipe at his eyes. "You should go."

He doesn't wait for her answer. He gets up locking himself in his bathroom. He slides back against the door and that's when the sobs hit.

Louis wants to stay and help him. She didn't mean to upset him; she was just upset and angry and hurt. "Niall... I'm sorry. I didn't... I have to go. I have to be at the theatre in ten minutes."

She snags a pair of his sweats and pulls them on before looking back at the bathroom door. "I'll... Text you after the show I guess."

She wants to say more- to open that door and run to hug him. But that would probably only make things worse. She just wanted to help him, but all she did was ruin things.

Wiping the last of the tears from her eyes, she heads out of his room, shutting the door behind her.

\------------

Zayn leans against the wall of the Performing Arts building waiting for Liam to get there. She absolutely hates theatre, but it makes Louis happy so she'd give up a night for her friend.

She never knows what to wear to these type of things, so she did her best. A tight black mini skirt with fishnet stockings and black knee high boots cover her lower half while a simple black spaghetti strap top cover her up top. She even had brought a little black shrug for after when the temperature would drop dramatically.

She had given Liam the tickets for safe keeping since she had been known to lose things. It was quickly getting dark and she hoped that Liam would be there soon.

Liam arrives not long after immediately spotting his girlfriend. She looks so out of place, but he found it cute. "Hey, babe."

Liam pulls Zayn into his chest kissing her softly arms winding around her thin waist. "Miss me?"

She smiles and laughs at him. "Not really. I just love being separated from my boyfriend for long periods of time." She rolls her eyes and pecks him softly on the nose. "Can we go in? It's getting too cold out here."

"Well if you dress like that you will be cold." Liam teases pulling her to the door. He hands the tickets over leading her inside.

"You and Louis must be close if you're showing up to a play." He intertwines their fingers spotting Harry and Nick.

"Hey guys." He greets cheerily. Despite him being kicked out of Sigma Nu he doesn't seem to be too upset or at least he's hiding it well.

"It was the dressiest stuff I had!" She huffs. She immediately brightens when she sees Harry though and ran to the girl and, bending down to hug her, nearly flashing the whole auditorium by accident.

Nick looked up and smiled softly at Liam. "Hey, man. How are you? Haven't seen you since... Uh, you in a dorm or did you pledge to Delta Chi?"

Liam smiles. "I'm in a dorm. It's not bad. Oh, and just because I'm not in the frat doesn't mean I'd go behind your backs and pledge for Delta Chi."

He sits down next to Nick, Zayn sitting on the end. "So when does the show start?"

Harry grins happily. "Ten minutes. I wonder where Niall is, he's supposed to be here."

Nick froze. "Niall's coming? I didn't know that. Why didn't I know that?" He looks over at Liam and Zayn and bites his lip. "Did you guys know about that?"

Zayn stops breathing for a second or two. Niall was going to be there. She hadn't spoken to or seen him since freshman year and that had been for the best. She blinks a few times and looks back at Nick hoping the tension wasn't obvious.

"Had no clue. I might have worn more clothes if I did know." She mumbles the last bit to herself not wanting anyone to hear her.

Harry's eyebrows furrow looking at the three of them. "Is there a problem with Niall coming? I mean it’s obvious he'd be invited with Louis' little crush on him." Louis never told her what her feelings about the blond were, but it was obvious she was developing something for the Irishman.

"No!" Zayn says a little too quickly. "I mean, it's completely fine. Why wouldn't it be? Seems like a nice enough guy."

Nick smiles, lips drawn tight. "Yeah. Everything will be just fine. Nothing at all to worry about." He kisses Harry's curls and tugs her into his side.

Zayn looks down at her lap, fingers messing with each other to keep her nerves from showing. "Louis has a crush on him? She knows that he's not the most loyal right?"

Liam shoots Zayn a look. He loves the girl, but she didn't really have the right to question Niall's loyalty. "He hasn't dated anyone no need to be loyal to anyone."

Harry nods in agreement. "I don't much know what Louis sees. He's kind of an asshole that sleeps around with every girl. Who does that? He sticks his dick in everything that moves yet he'll kick a girl out when he's done."

Nick furrows his brow. "He's a great guy. He's just had a troubled past. He just needs to get the right girl and I think Louis could be good for him."

Zayn shrugs. "I just hope he's happy. He deserves it after everything that happened."

Harry looks over at Zayn. "After what happened? Did something happen?" She looks between the three feeling absolutely clueless.

Niall's entering the theater hands in the pockets of his skinny jeans. He's not wearing a snapback or tank top having wanted to look nice. He knows Nick and Harry are here.

Zayn shakes her head. "It's not important. It happened a long time ago." She pats at Harry’s arm and smiles at her friend.

Nick looks up to see Niall walking down the aisle. He stands up to see if he could catch the blond's attention to get him to walk the other way and miss having to climb over Zayn and Liam for his seat.

Niall smiles softly heading to Nick. He offers a small nod. "It’s nice to see you come and support Lou. I know she appreciates it."

He maneuvers around Nick to get to his seat but he freezes in place. She was there with Liam. His breath catches and he's aching like he did the night before when Louis asked him about Zayn. "Fuck this. No I can't be here. I refuse."

Nick grabs him by the arm and holds tightly. "Come on, man. You don't have to be near her or talk to her. Louis would love it if you were here. Come on. You sit here and I'll sit next to her."

Zayn looks down at the ground and slips her shrug on. She didn't want to make Niall uncomfortable. She just didn't know he'd be there.

Niall shakes his head voice rising and maybe he wants her to hear, wants her to feel bad. "No, I'm not going to be within fifty feet of that back stabbing whore." He yanks his arm away from Nick not even looking in her direction. "She can go fuck herself like half the guys on campus have."

Nick sighs. "What about Louis? She'll be devastated if you leave. Please, Niall. Just stay for Louis."

Zayn grabs her stuff. "It's fine. I can go. I don't like theatre anyway. I'm just here to see my friend."

Niall snaps at her. "Sit down, slut."

He's absolutely fuming. He's supposed to be an asshole and he would be. He'd be the biggest fucking asshole possible. "I'm leaving. Remember? I'm only trying to have sex with the bitch I don't care about her."

He storms out of the theater going straight home.

Nick sighs and watches as his brother practically runs from the auditorium. He wants to go after Niall, but when the house lights start to flash signalling the start of the show, he knows they'll talk later.

Zayn sits back down as the house lights dim and overture to the show starts. She's pretty sure someone is going to be crying tonight.

\------------

Louis is in tears with a huge smile on her face. She was taking her final bow in that ridiculous cat suit and she couldn't wait to see everyone and get pictures and, honestly, she was starving.

The lights went off and she could still hear the applause and cheers as they cleared the stage. She ran into the auditorium to try and find everyone. She spots Harry's curls and latches onto her friend. "So I know it was horribly written, but it was good right?"

Harry hugs her back running her hand through Louis' hair feeling the extensions. "You did fantastic. Best actress I've ever seen."

Liam comes up to congratulate her. "Harry's right you have a beautiful voice."

Louis can feel her cheeks reddening under the praise. "Thanks! You guys are the best! Thank you so much for coming."

Zayn walks up at hugs Niall tightly. "You were so good! You have pipes!"

Nick laughs and agrees. "You're fantastic. Let get a picture of you guys." He pulls out his phone ready to snap the camera when they were in place.

Harry throws her arms around Louis' waist having Nick come to her side. They all smile the camera flash going off.

Harry's the first to suggest the next place. "Let's take her out to eat I'm starving!"

Louis moans. "That sounds fantastic. Let me find Niall first. I need to know what he thought." She looks around searching for that familiar shock of blond that she had grown accustom to.

Harry bites her lip. "Babe, Niall left. Um..." She doesn't want to say it out loud, but she side glances at Zayn hoping her best friend caught on to what she was trying to say.

Louis frowns. "But... But he promised. He wouldn't... He's better than that. He promised." She could feel the tears start to form in her eyes.

Nick frowns. "He wanted to come. But his professor assigned a huge paper and he couldn't get away." He didn't want Louis to feel like Niall didn't want to be here, even if his departing words suggested otherwise.

Harry nods pulling Louis close. "Let’s go eat now. You'll feel so much better now that you can eat whatever you want."

Liam wraps an arm around Zayn leading her out. Louis looked genuinely hurt that Niall wasn't here. That wasn't good. If Louis was falling for him in any way she'd only end up heartbroken.

"Yeah. Um, let go get changed then. Do you think Niall would want to join us for dinner? I can text him and ask." She looks around wondering if it was a good idea.

Zayn shakes her head. "I'm not sure. The way Nick talked about it he seemed really stressed. You can try though."

Nick smiles. "Yeah he might say he's too busy. Let me take a picture of just you though so he can see what he missed." He took a single shot of her and immediately sent it to the boy.

\------------

Niall's lying across his mattress when his phone vibrates. He checks the message groaning when he sees the photo of Louis in a leather suit.

'She looks great. Forget what I said earlier. Tell her I'm sorry for missing the play but I don't think I'll be coming out of my room... Ever.'

He buries his face into his pillow the tears still falling. Just seeing her.

\------------

'Told her you were working on a paper. She almost cried when she saw you weren't there.'

Nick smiles and slips his phone back into his pocket. "Well go get changed and we'll take you out for food."

Louis smiles softly and kissed Nick's cheek before bouncing backstage to change.

\------------

Harry leads the small group to the host at the restaurant. She offers a wide dimpled smile. "Hi, dinner for five."

Zayn stays close to Liam their hands joined together. She was admittedly hungry, but her stomach churns at what happened earlier with Niall.

Liam squeezes Zayn's hand, reading her mind. He smiles lightly over at her and leans down to peck her cheek. "Calm down. It's done and over with. He's not coming to dinner."

Zayn nods but the nausea is still there. She goes after the host sliding into the booth once they're seated. "Don't you ever feel like you went behind his back?"

"I did at first, but when I figured out you really had changed I didn't think he'd mind." Liam shrugs and throws an arm around her shoulders.

Zayn kisses him tenderly resting her head on his shoulder. "I want to be able to talk to him one day. Apologize."

Harry guides Nick, cuddling into him when they themselves are seated. "I'm really in the mood." She whispers.

Nick shudders lightly. "Later, baby. We need to make this all about Louis tonight. It's her night. You can come back and stay at the frat with me. We can fuck all night."

Harry licks the shell of his ear. "All night? Like we did on your birthday?" She pulls away from the boy grinning at Louis. "Ready to stuff your face with calorie high cholesterol ridden food babe?"

Louis felt weird and out of place. Harry had Nick, Zayn had Liam, and Louis had... No one. It was going to be a long dinner with no one to cuddle with.

Liam smiles and whispers, "You will." He turned back to the rest of the table. "Yeah, Louis! Whatever you want, I'm paying for you. No need for the belle of the ball to pay for her party."

Louis blushes softly. "That's not necessary, Liam. I brought my own money."

Nick frowns. "Well, if Liam doesn't pay for you, I am. He's right. The star never pays for her meal."

Harry props her elbows on the table resting her chin in one palm. "I don't care as long as someone pays for me."

Zayn snorts shaking her head at the curly haired girl.

\------------

Niall has his phone in his hand debating whether to text him although he was still crying. 'Question of the day. Well 2 since I didn't ask you yesterday. 1) Have you ever felt like you were in so much emotional pain that you might just break?'

\------------

Louis smiled softly as she listened to the banter between her friends. She frowned a little as her phone vibrated. She opened the text and bit her lip.

'Yeah. You're gonna think I'm so stupid when you find out why- well, why I felt that way the first time. The second time was because the Delta Chi guy I had sex with was fucking some sorority girl behind my back.'

Nick laughs and kisses at Harry's curls. "I didn't expect you to pay for yourself, babe. What kind of... Friend would I be?"

Harry frowns. "Friend. Right… I think I'll be in the bathroom. And I want a ride home when we're done here." She climbs over Nick stalking off to the restroom. If this was all sex then she doesn't need to be here.

\------------

Niall sighs. 'I don't think you're stupid. At all. 2) How do you mend a broken heart?'

\------------

'I really don't know. I mean, I still have issue from something that happened first week of college. I guess you just need to confront whoever/whatever is hurting you and talk everything out.'

Louis responds to Niall's text before watching Harry walk towards the bathroom. "I'm going to go talk to her."

She gets up and heads after her curly haired friend. She caught up with her once they were in the restrooms. "Hey. What was that?"

\------------

Niall contemplates the answer, but can he really bring himself to do that? Can he really talk to Zayn?

'What if...what if you can't confront it?'

\------------

Harry wipes at her face, back to Louis. "What are you talking about? I just came to use the bathroom."

"Harry, I know you. You don't just leave all abruptly like that. And, you're crying. I can see you in the mirror." She comes up behind Harry and hugs her tightly. Just as she did, her phone vibrated.

Groaning, she slipped the device from her pocket and read the message. "One crisis at a time please."

She put her phone away and focused back on Harry. "Okay, so what did I miss? What did Nick do?"

Harry turns in her arms crying into her shoulder. "He... He…" She can't breathe. Her chest is heaving with each tearful cry. Her arms squeeze Louis' midsection tightly. She takes a few calming breathes wanting to be able to tell her best friend.

"He called me his friend. I know he never properly asked me out, but I thought we had a thing. I always ask him to be my date. We go on hundreds of dates, but I'm just his friend. Has he just been using me for sex? Is that all I am to anyone?"

Louis holds her close. "Oh, hunny..." She takes a deep breath. "Have you ever talked about it with Nick? Maybe he doesn't know what to call you. I mean, Niall asked me to be his date on Friday, but we're still friends."

She swallows the lump in her throat. "No matter how much I want us to be more, it's just not his thing. But Nick... He's different. You just need to talk to him."

She looks down at her phone wonders what happened to Niall to make him so miserable.

Harry wipes at her eyes. "You like Niall? So I was right?"

She gets her phone out texting Nick. 'We need to talk. If you don't want to you can find another friend to fuck.'

She bites into her lip. "Okay I'm going to talk to him."

Louis chuckles. "Yeah... I really like Niall. I was so upset he wasn't there tonight, but I understand last minute papers. Do you want to go back to the table? I can catch a ride with Zayn and Liam. It's no big." She offered pulling her phone out.

She rereads the last text and decides to finally answer him. 'Then you surround yourself with people who you know will never disappoint you. Your brothers, Harry, me... Time for my question. Can I stay with you tonight?'

Harry bites into her lip. "Lou, please don't get mad at Niall, but you deserve to know the truth."

She grips both of her shoulders making sure they were holding eye contact. "Niall didn't have a paper. He came before the show started and he saw Zayn. He looked like he was going to cry and called her a slut who slept with half the campus and stormed off. Zayn didn't go into detail, but she said something happened between them."

\------------

Niall doesn't respond immediately. He thinks about it long and hard. 'Can you handle a crying frat boy?'

\------------

Louis blinks a couple times, trying to understand why everyone would lie to protect Niall. "Wait. So, he could have been there? He could've stayed and watched the show? He just... Left?"

That hurt. She doesn't care what happened with Zayn, he should have stayed. He should have at least texted her and told her the truth instead of not saying anything at all. "I mean, didn't anyone try and stop him? Didn't you guys tell him how important this was to me?"

Harry sighs. "Nick half assed it. I know it hurts, but maybe you should talk to him. Don't get upset right away. Try and see it from his point of view."

She looks towards the door. "Let’s go. I need to speak to Nick."

She exits the restroom with Louis trailing behind. She reaches the table eyes dead set on Nick. "Hey, why don't we talk?"

Nick frowns. "Sure. Um, I ordered for you. I just got what normally get when we come here. I hope that's okay." He stands up and looks over at Louis. "Oh, and I just got you a bacon cheddar burger. I figured it had a lot of calories and carbs and stuff. Harry said you missed those."

Once he and Harry disappeared, Liam cocks an eyebrow. "So, how's it feel to be a star? Everyone on campus will be talking about that performance."

Louis smiles softly. "Thanks, Liam." She stares down at the table before sighing and looking up at them again. "Was Niall there at all tonight? Did he really have a paper or did he just not want to be there?"

Zayn's eyes widen looking towards Liam unsure of what to say. "Um, well..." She sighs under her breath. "He was there. He saw me and left."

"I think it's my turn to hit the restroom." Liam says as he sighs. He wants to give the girls the space they needed to talk about this.

"He... He didn't say anything?" Louis still didn't want to believe it.

She locks eyes with Zayn and pleads with her. "Please, Zayn. What happened to you guys? Why does he push me away whenever you're brought up in conversation? Why does he leave something that he knew I was so nervous and excited for because of you? Just tell me. I... I want to fix him."

Zayn looks to her lap. She hadn't talked about freshman year since she told Liam the full story a year and a half ago.

"Back in freshman year I was a bitch. And don't tell me different because I was. I met Niall in chemistry. We really connected. He was so innocent and adorable. He always got me things, flowers and candy. I was so lucky. Six months in we were at a party and I wanted to have sex with him. He told me he was a virgin, really nervous. We ended up doing it. He was really clumsy and only lasted a half hour."

She can almost relive the moment. Niall's flushed face and curled toes. How his arms immediately wrapped around her…

"Niall… He thought we were dating. The worst part is, I knew. I knew he was in love with me. He came to my dorm unannounced and I was in the middle of having sex with some guy. The look on his face... I want to cry thinking about it."

She pauses for a moment taking a few calming breathes. "He was sobbing and the guy left. We sat down and I told him I slept with about ten other guys. He never spoke to me again."

Louis stares at Zayn in disbelief. She never knew about any of that. It was like a whole new part of Zayn was opened in front of her.

"You... You broke him. That's why he won't be in a relationship. He doesn't want be broken all over again." She stared down at her phone and thought about his questions tonight. "You have to talk to him. He'll never be able to heal properly until you two talk this out. He won't come to you, so you have to go to him."

She slips open her phone and stares at the text from him that she never responded to. Swallowing the huge lump in her throat, she taps out a response. 'I think I know what'll cheer you up.'

Zayn wipes her hands down her face. "I've tried. I called and texted him nonstop, but he ended up changing his number. He pledged for Sigma Nu right after it happened."

\------------

Niall's eyebrows knit together. 'I don't think you can, but if you wanna try you can.'

\------------

Louis furrows her brows and begins thinking. They had just asked each other day twelve questions meaning that their game would be over next Monday... Maybe she could stall the ending? A small stipulation right before it ended.

"Don't worry, Zayn. I'm sure he'll talk to you soon. In fact I guarantee it. Just... Go easy when you do talk. He's still broken and I don't want him to break any more."

She smiles lightly. 'Perfect. I'll be there after dinner. Also, hope you're not near Nick's room. He'll either be fucking Harry or crying over her. Either way, he'll probably be loud.'

Zayn doesn't have much more to say. She waits for Liam, their food arriving. She grabs takeout boxes scraping their uneaten food into each container. She looks up holding a hand up. "Check please?"

\------------

Nick stumbles outside as Harry drags him through the restaurant and out the double glass doors. He has no clue why Harry wants to talk, unless she was using that as a code word for sex.

They had never done that in such a public place (that time on the couch in front of nearly the entire frat house doesn't count as public) and he's slightly thrilled at the prospect of getting his dick wet in the alley by the restaurant.

"What has got you all riled up? I mean, I like it, it looks really good on you, but I'd like to thank whatever did this to you."

Harry drops his wrist, arms crossing over her chest. "What is this to you?" She gestures between the two of them frowning. "Is this a game, friend? Are we having sex for fun?"

He frowns. "Wait. You're upset because I called us friends? That's all we are. I mean, I always thought...” He doesn't know how to put this nicely and he certainly doesn't want her to take this the wrong way. "I thought that you had other guys, you know? I never knew if we were serious or if you would just call me when you needed a shag."

Harry's face falls. "Do I just come off like that? Do I just come off like a girl who lets any guy stick their dick in me?"

She can't help but get upset with every word. "You're the only guy I'm sleeping with. I ask you on dates for a reason. I thought maybe you hadn't asked me out because you wanted to make it special or whatever, but really you're just in it for the shag. God, I'm an idiot to think you were different."

She shakes her head tears forming.

"No! Harry, that's not what I meant. Fuck, I just... I never know what you're thinking. You were at Niall's birthday party with that fucking blouse all undone and your breasts just pouring out of the top, but you were flirting with other guys. I just thought that you didn't need me anymore."

Nick run a hand through his hair and looks up, pleading at her. "I didn't want to ask you to stop because I thought you'd get angry and leave me for good. I did what I could to make sure the brothers wouldn't touch you. Fuck, I put you on 'The List!' I just... I want to be with and only you, I just didn't know that you wanted the same thing."

Harry looks to the ground. "That's why you talk to the person. I'm not some bitch who uses guys. Maybe I talked to other guys because I didn't want to seem clingy." She sniffles bringing a finger up to wipe a stray tear.

Nick reaches up and caresses her face with the back of his hand. "Harry Elizabeth Styles, will you please be my girlfriend?"

Harry pulls him down attaching their lips. She puts more into it than usual. "Yes I will. I can tell you the sex will be a hundred times better now."

"Better? But, I was already telling Niall that it was amazing! How can it get better?" Nick wasn't complaining, but he already thought sex with Harry was one of the best things ever.

He leans in and presses himself flush against her and starts rubbing himself along her thigh. "Think the others would be upset if we left early?"

"Maybe I'm holding back. I can do this thing with my tongue that you wouldn't believe." She smirks. "Don't think they'll mind." She fits her hand between her leg and his pelvis starting to rub.

He moans. "Fuck. Alright. Let's go. Otherwise I'm going to end up shagging you against the restaurant wall. Plus, I don't have a condom on me. Back to the frat house." He grabs her wrist and drags her to his car.

Tonight was going to be fantastic.

\------------

Louis climbs the steps of the frat house and came to the familiar hallway of bedrooms. She shudders as she passes one of the boys' rooms and hears what sounds like a girl. She didn't want to think about that. She was determined.

Knocking slightly, she openes the door to Niall's room and saw him with his back to the door. Perfect.

She reaches behind her as best she could until she manages to catch the zipper on her dress and pull it down. She stepped out of her shoes and let the black strapless fall to the ground.

She felt a little uncomfortable since she was also braless due to the fact that she didn't have a strapless bra. She crosses her arms over her chest and walks forward quietly until she stands at the side of the bed.

"Niall? Are- Are you awake?"

Niall sits up not having realized he had fallen asleep with the lights on. He turns around eyes red and puffy, swollen.

"Lou?" He stops when he sees that she's naked save her underwear. "Lou, what are you doing?"

She crawls onto the bed next to him and grabs his hand. "I had a talk... With Zayn. I want to show you what it's like to not have a quick fuck."

She guides his hand to her breast and holds it there. "I want you to sleep with me and not kick me out. Wake up with the same girl you went to bed with and know that she's not running off to someone else."

She slips his hand down her torso and the front of her underwear and stops to hook his fingers in the front of them and begins to pull them down till she's completely bare in front of him.

Niall's breath hitches watching his hand glide down her tanned, flawless skin. He's barely registering what she's even saying. "Fuck, Lou."

He moans, her underwear being tugged away from her body. This doesn't feel right though. This feels wrong. This is what he wanted though right? He wanted to fuck her- wanted to fuck her and hurt her before she could hurt him. "Lou... Louis, I can't do this."

She stops and looks back at him. "Yes you can, Niall. Just spread me out and fuck me."

She glides his hand lower till it's right where it needs to be and her breath catches in her throat. "Or do you want me to ride you? I can do that. I'll do whatever you want me to; just don't throw me out afterwards."

Niall snatches his hand away. He gets to his feet looking for her outfit. He doubts Louis came naked. He finds the dress, but not a bra. He just needs her to cover up before he stops resisting. He knows how annoying a dress would be. Instead he throws his Sigma Nu sweatshirt towards her. "Put that on."

He closes his eyes for a moment. What the hell was he doing? He could change his mind and get the job done. "I'm not going to fuck you. You can stay here like you asked, but we're not sleeping together."

Louis looks close to tears, but she's so relieved. She doesn't know why she thought this was a good idea, but she's never been as happy to hear a guy tell her to get dressed. She slips the sweatshirt on and grabs her underwear and pulls them up as well. She gets up and heads to him and wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him tightly.

"Why can you say no to me, but sleep around with so many girls?"

Niall hugs her back holding her as tightly as he could to his broad chest. "Because…"

He has to think about it. Why could he say no? It was more like he couldn't say yes. He rests his chin on top of her head. "Because you're different."

She pulls back to look up at him. Her face is confused and that's pretty accurate to how she feels. "How am I different? I'm just another girl in the crowd." She grabs his hand and pulls him back towards the bed and sits there once her legs hit side. "Just cuddle with me. Unless, that crosses a line in your no dating agenda."

Niall lies down without a second thought. There's no hesitation when he presses her back against his chest, eyes closed. "I... I don't know yet."

He doesn't know why. Louis was different though and Niall was fucking terrified.

Louis smiles softly. "Well, when you figure it out let me know. Deal?"

She reaches behind her and grabs his arm and draped it around her side letting his hand rest on her stomach before tangling their fingers together. "You know, believe it or not, I'm actually kind of mad at you."

"Deal." He spreads his fingers allowing hers to fit in between his. "Why are you mad at me?" He hums. He doesn't believe her considering she's cuddling with him.

"You missed my show. I know it sucked, but I at least wanted to get a picture with you while I was in that damn cat suit." She looks down at their joined hands and feels like this is where she's meant to be. Right here in Niall's arms and nowhere else would feel right ever again.

Niall sighs. "I know. I'm sorry, but this paper is kicking my ass." When she had first come in claiming to talk to Zayn he hadn't really heard since she was almost completely naked.

Louis is silent for a moment. "I really wish you would be honest with me. I know there was no paper- Harry told me that much. Then Zayn said it was her fault."

Zayn had also told her on the way home what Niall had screamed just before he left, but she refused to believe that Niall was only trying to sleep with her.

Niall's grip on her tightens the slightest bit. "Nick came up with the lie I just went along with it. I'm sorry you were lied to."

His grip loosens, arm pulling away from her when she says Zayn. "What did she tell you?"

"That it's her fault that you're such a prick. Said she slept with you and broke your heart by sleeping around behind your back." She wiggles back into his body, hoping to have him back against her. She felt safe and protected. "She also said you shouted some... Rather rude things about me before you left. Please tell me that part isn't true."

Niall gets up. "It is true."

He locks himself back in his bathroom, eyes shut. He breathes heavily, heart in his throat and his stomach twisted like a French knot.

She knows. She knows about Zayn. She knows his game. She knows he's a worthless, despensable, loser. She knows he's weak and vulnerable.

Louis watches him and doesn't know what to do. Following him would be pointless, but that's all she wants to do. Without any recollection of how she got there, she finds herself on the floor in front of the bathroom door, her torso leaning against it while she rests one hand on the door.

"You're different too, Niall. You're the only one I can yes too." She whispers. She stays there, waiting for him, but exhaustion wins and end up sleeping there still waiting for the blond.

Niall eventually comes out to find her asleep. He swallows thickly picking her up bridal style. "You deserve better." He tucks her into his bed grabbing his pillow and stretching out across his room floor. He's asleep before he knows it.

\------------

Louis frowns as a light hits exactly across her face. She cracks open her eyes and groans when she sees it's the sun. She turns over in the bed and again frowns when she's met with nothing.

Sitting up, she looks around the room till she spots Niall on the floor of his own room. She smiles lightly as the light catches his blond hair and makes him glow a bit more. She gets up from the bed and slowly and cautiously and curls against him. She grabs his hand and laces their fingers together again and the feeling of safety and protection comes flooding back to her.

"Niall? Wake up? You have a Chem lab in thirty minutes."

Niall shoots up. His hair is ruffled sticking up every which way. "Fuck! Fuck, I can't be late."

He heads into the bathroom, not having closed it all the way. He strips down kicking his pants and boxers away, leaving him naked. He moves the curtain back turning the knob of the shower on.

Louis just sighs and figures she can skip a class or two since she just had the most stressful and emotional week of her life. She knocks of the door hoping Niall can hear her if she shouts loud enough. "I'm going down to the kitchen to see if there is any food. So you're safe when you get out. Just come down and I'll see if I can make you something for breakfast."

Niall pokes his head out, not having gotten in the shower yet. "Sounds good." He absently kisses Louis' cheek, closing the door right after it happened.

Louis kind of stands there in shock for a second before smiling and grabbing at her cheek. She feels like such a damn girl, but she can't explain why that little quick kiss excites her.

She recovers quickly and heads downstairs to try and find something for him. The chances are unlikely since it's a house full of boys, but she's hoping for the best.

Sean enters the kitchen missing his shirt, scratches all down his back. "Whoa no pants, did you and Niall...?"

He leans against the counter arms crossed. He may or may not be staring at the way her ass curves, sweatshirt barely covering her. Her legs are sculpted perfectly and impossibly smooth.cHe smiles though wanting to come off as her friend.

Louis looks up at the voice and smiles softly. "No. He just let me borrow a sweatshirt to sleep in since a dress is too much for bed." She turns back to the toaster where she had managed to find bread that wasn't terrible and popped four slices in for him to eat on his way to class.

She realises the butter must be in the fridge and heads over that way. Without really thinking about it, she bends over slightly to see if it's on the top shelf.

She really doesn't feel comfortable around Sean since he's the one who kept giving her alcohol on Friday, but she figures she should try and be friendly Niall's frat brothers.

Sean bites into his lip watching the shirt raise and he could see her fucking underwear. "So Niall didn't even show you a good time?"

He comes up behind her pressing his pelvis against her ass and his chest against her back. He grabs the butter straightening himself out. "Here."

Louis freezes as he reached around her. She could feel him pressed against her and she didn't like it one bit, but she continues to smile. She turns to face him, back to the fridge. "Thanks. Couldn't quite find it." She drops her gaze.

Sean nods smiling. His eyes drop to her waist. "You know you have really nice curves. Have you ever tasted yourself, babe? Bet you taste delicious."

One of the brothers, Keaton, stuck his head into the entrance. "Sean, seriously? Niall put her on The List, leave her alone. I'm sure violating the List is a violation of our code."

Louis frowns and tries to press herself further into the fridge. "What list? I'm on a list?" She looks up Sean and gulped. "Can you please let me past you? I'm trying to make Niall breakfast..."

Sean grumbles shooting at glare at the younger boy shoving past him.

Keaton smiles softly nodding his head. "Yeah we have a List. Basically the Sigma Nu brothers put names of girls on it that are off limits to other guys. I'm a freshman so I haven't been here long, but from what the others told me, you're the first girl Niall ever put on it."

Louis smiles softly. "Niall said I was off limits? We're not even together..."

She feels her cheeks redden as she moves over to the counter and began buttering the now popped toast. She looks up at the new boy. "Do you want some toast? I can make you some. I'm not going to classes so I have some time."

Keaton nods. "I have a class to get to and toast doesn't sound bad."

He leans against the counter himself, but he's a considerable distance away to not make her feel uncomfortable. "We don't always put girlfriends on the List. My sister's on it for a reason."

He shrugs his shoulders though. "Maybe you're special. I don't know; I'm new. I just became an official brother a week ago."

She puts more bread in the toaster and turns to talk to him. "I have to ask. What made you want to join a frat? I mean, I was asked join a sorority and I just couldn’t find the appeal."

She jumps slightly as the toast popped and she grabs it and put some butter on the bread. "Here, you go." She placed it on a paper towel and handed it over.

Keaton takes a bite smiling. He swallows the food using the sleeve of his jacket to wipe the crumbs away. "There were a lot of reasons."

He tries to think about how to put it. "I'm from America, so I don't know anyone other than my sister and brother. Joining a frat creates like a family atmosphere and brothers are supposed to look out for each other. This is my family away from my family."

"I guess that makes sense. I just never thought the sisterhood scene was all that. I have four brothers so the frat was more for me, but I'm not a guy so..." She pulls the sweatshirt down subconsciously. She feels naked now that Sean has tried to feel her up like that. She hopes that Niall won't find out about Sean.

Keaton takes another bite pulling it away from his mouth when he notices the time. "Shit, I have to go. It was nice talking to you." He waves to her picking up the toast, literally sprinting out the door.

Louis shouts a goodbye and waves after the new kid. Sighing, she puts Niall's toast on a plate and starts up the stairs. She sees Sean in the living room and wants to say something to ensure that he knows she's not mad at him.

"Hey. If you have time before class, I can make you something to eat. I'm staying in from classes and I was going to ask Niall if I could crash in his room while he's in classes. I'd be happy to make you something if you want."

Sean smirks, standing up. "I could think of something I want. We could just skip breakfast and go to desert."

He corners Louis both arms going on either side of her head. "You know, I wanna fuck you with Niall's sweatshirt on. I never liked the kid anyway."

Louis isn't claustrophobic, but she feels too crowded and too hot. Her breathing picks up slightly and she's sure her voice is shaky as she goes to talk to him. "Sean, please don't. I don't sleep around. I don't want you. Please just let me go. Niall won't find out about this. Please, I just want to be friends with you guys since you're Niall's brothers.

Sean chuckles. "You don't know you want it, but you do." He buries his nose into her shoulder licking at her neck. His hands fall on the sweatshirt, rucking it up until her underwear was in plain view. "Niall's got this little crush on you and its annoying how much he talks about you. At least this will get him to shut up about you."

"Sean, please don't. I'll do anything, but please don't do this." She dropped the plate she had been holding and tried to push him off, but couldn't muster any strength.

She closes her eyes and feels the tears springing to her eyes. She had no clue what to do. She was so scared. "Niall! Help me!" She just starts screaming, not knowing what else to do.

Sean's stunned, slapping a hand over her mouth. "Shut up, whore."

Niall almost flies down the staircase. He's only in his briefs, but the minute he sees what's unfolding he loses it.

"I'm going to kill you!" He grabs the back of Sean's shirt ripping him off of Louis. He shoves him to the ground absolutely fuming. "Don't you ever touch what's mine!"

Louis drops to the ground and curls in on herself as soon as Sean was pulled from her. She faintly registers Niall yelling at Sean, but she's more worried about getting her breathing under control.

She's crying, she knows that, but she just can't seem to stop. A week ago, she would have thought Niall would be the one pulling this on her. Now, he's the first person she even thinks about calling to rescue her.

Niall calls for Nick needing someone else to hold down Sean while he takes care of Louis. He picks the girl up by her arms holding her close and swaying their bodies. "Are you okay? Did he touch you? I'm her, Lou. I'm here."

Nick comes barreling down the stairs and quickly takes the scene in. He glares down at Sean and pins the boy down.

Louis clings to Niall and cries into his neck. "Just want to lie down. Please, just get me out of here." She digs her nails into his shoulder in fear.

Niall scoops her up, one arm under the back of his knees and the other under the back of her neck. "Let's get you dressed, then home." He walks up the stairs, laying her on his bed.

"Please don't leave me, Niall. I don't want to be alone. Please... Please..." She grabs his wrist tightly not wanting him to leave. She tugs him onto the bed beside her and curls up to him as best as she could. She's just happy that Niall got there when he did. She didn't want to even think about if she hadn't called Niall when she did.

Niall holds her close. "I... I know you probably don't want to talk, but can I ask you my question of the day?" In all honesty he just wants to distract her. "Why are you still talking to me? I didn't think you would after Friday night at the frat."

She looks up at him in disbelief. "Because you stopped. If it had been Sean or any other guy, do you really think they would have stopped if I passed out?"

She feels dirty and like she needs to scrub the feel of Sean from her skin. "Can I use your shower? I just... I feel disgusting."

"Of course you can. Let me get you a towel." He stands up grabbing the towel he used. "Hope you don't mind I used this. Oh, and for the record, I know my brothers. Besides Sean, they all would have stopped." He leads her into the bathroom handing her the towel.

She smiles lightly and takes the offered towel. "Thanks."

She starts to close the door before opening it just enough and kissing his cheek like he had done to her. "You're the best." She closes the door and leans against the wood.

She is so fucked.

\------------

It’s the next afternoon when Niall decides to take a detour after his chemistry lecture.

The bell of the familiar cafe chimes above his head and Perrie is working the register although Louis' right behind her, counting cups from what he can tell. "Can I get a black coffee and two muffins? One toasted the other one not?"

Louis chuckled. "Coming right up."

She goes about getting his coffee and their muffins. She grabs her usual sharpie and wrote Niall's name and a heart on his cup.

Perrie smils brightly at the blond male. "Hey. I was just about to take my break. Wanna join me?"

Niall raises his eyebrow, but nods. "Sure. I'll be sitting in the same spot as last time." He thanks Louis for the items making sure she got her muffin before heading to his spot.

Louis frowns as she finished making his coffee and snapping the lid in place. She handed it over to Perrie to deliver when she went to talk to him.

Perrie smiles viciously as she took the cup and made her way over to the blond male. She sets it in front of him and leans in to press their lips together. She snakes her tongue into his mouth before pulling back and lapping at his bottom lip. "I still owe you that blowjob. Wanna go in the back room and I can suck you off there?"

Niall jerks back in surprise. He wipes his mouth on the sleeve of his jacket. "Uh, no... No, I'm good." He takes a bite of the poppy seed muffin chewing. He swallows awkwardly licking over his lips. "Uh, I figured we could talk... Be friends?"

Petrie scrunches her nose in confusion. "What? Are you serious? Did I do something wrong? I thought you were interested in this."

She huffs and glares over at the boy. "I mean, I've never had a guy turn me down unless- Oh my god! You're not gay are you?"

Niall's eyes widen and there are a few people in the shop so he may have been a little loud when he was talking. "I'm not gay!"

He slaps a hand over his mouth. "I'm just interested in... Someone and I don't want to screw it up." He tries his hardest not to glance at Louis, but he does.

Perrie's eyes soften as she follows Niall's gaze to her coworker who was busy serving a couple of rowdy teenagers. "You know she really likes you. It's actually rather annoying. She comes in everyday asking if you've been there yet."

She rests her hand on top of Niall's and squeezes. "Just be careful with her. Now, I'm going to go take the rest of her shift and you going to take her somewhere nice."

Niall's eyes widen. "I only came to get my coffee. I mean I don't date I just think she's pretty... And smart... And funny... And different." He bites into his lip nervously drumming his fingers against the counter. Before Perrie can leave he catches her by the wrist. "Can you send her my way?"

Perrie smiles widely. "Anything for you, cutie."

She makes her way back behind the counter. "Louis! The blondie at table five wants you! And here's a tip, look cute! He's single!"

Louis laughs and slips here visor and apron off before grabbing the muffin she hadn't had a chance to eat. Sliding into the seat across from Niall she tries for a serious expression. "So you're single? What's a girl have to do to get a little attention from you, blondie?"

Niall chuckles leaning back in his seat. "If you take something off maybe you'll get some attention." He sips from his coffee noticing the heart on the cup rather than the usual insult.

Louis frowned. "I already tried that. The guy was too much of a gentleman." She blushes thinking about how straightforward she had been.

She clears her throat and looks up through her eyelashes. "How about we just talk? I have questions I'd like to ask you if that's okay."

Niall smiles settling his much larger hand on hers. "I was only kidding."

He nods. "Yeah you get two I get one. I'll go first. Why's there a heart on my cup rather than the normal metaphorical insult?"

Louis freezes and stares at the cup in his hand. She hadn't really noticed what she was writing when she wrote on the cup. "Well, I know your soul isn't black anymore. It's colourful and beautiful and something I wish everyone, and not just a select few, got to see. As for the heart... It's a simple drawing. I do it on everyone's cup."

Okay, that was a lie, but it's not like Niall was going to examine every cup she wrote on. If he did, then she'd think of a new lie later.

Niall frowns. "Wasn't always like that. I used to make good first impressions, although once I'm Mister Vice President, I'm some dumbass douche who's studying home economics."

"My first question... How many women have you slept with?"

He tears off another piece of the dessert. He nearly chokes at her question. "Slept with and sexual contact are different.”

"Slept with and sexual contact is one in the same to me." She mutters.

He uses his fingers to count and when he runs out he starts over. "Fifteen."

Now it was Louis' turn to choke on her pastry. "Fifteen! Fuck, you've got to be kidding." She just thought he talked a big game and hadn't actually slept with most girls.

Niall rubs at the back of his neck. "If you're counting all contact then... I don't have enough fingers and toes to count that high."

He hopes she isn't disgusted by that, but he really did sleep with girls. "No, I'm not."

She sits there and tries to take it all in. Hearing and confirming were two different things. "Okay. I can deal with that."

She sighs. "Question two... If you did date, what would you look for in a girl?"

Niall sits back, eyes rolling to the ceiling while he tries to come up with a good answer. "Well."

He looks to Louis absently gripping her hand. "Someone beautiful, sarcastic. Not afraid to tell people what she thought, oh and I have a thing for brunettes... How many questions have we asked so far?"

Louis smiled. "Well, if I find anyone like that I'll let you know."

She thought for a second, trying to do the math. "It's been two weeks since your birthday so fourteen questions. Only six more to go."

Niall nods. "Wow the game's almost done. Well I have to go, love."

He gets up throwing his half full cup away and finishing off his treat. He glances at Louis. "And for the record, I already found someone like that."

He pushes the door open exiting the shop.

Louis watches him go and tries to think of anyone she knew who was like that. She could only think of two people who were beautiful and sarcastic and they were her best friends. Her heart shattered. He was crushing on Harry or Zayn.

And she was just a good friend.

\------------

Louis laughs loudly as Nick slipped on the hardwood flooring and went sprawling on his back. The few boys that were still in the house joined her in laughing at their president.

She curls into Niall's side and smiles over at Harry. Ever since their talk in the bathroom on Sunday night, Harry seems to be happier and even more affectionate with Nick. The tone has even changed from sex crazed to loving in their gestures.

"So now that my ass is probably bruised," Nick complains as he stands up and rubbed at the sore muscle, "why don't we discuss our new pledges this year. I mean, we graduate this year, bro. We need to hand the house down to someone we can trust to hold on to traditions and still be able to enforce justice when needed."

He plops down on the sofa next to Harry and immediately tosses an arm around her waist and swiftly kisses her curls.

Harry giggles climbing into his lap. She loves being able to do this.

Niall nods. "Ed is house speaker, but does anyone really trust Ed with responsibility?"

Keaton begrudgingly enters the house reading glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose. He throws his backpack somewhere, huffing under his breath.

"Keaton!" Louis shouts and waves happily as she recognises the boy from the other morning. She notices his slight distress and the smile slips from her face. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Nick waves half-heartedly to the new brother before turning back to Niall. "Not really. He's drunk practically every night and I don't think he really knows what's happening half the time. He holds tight to Harry's waist and kisses at her shoulder blade to give her some attention while they talked.

Keaton frowns, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm failing English Literature and if I don't pass I'll be 'removed from the fraternity.' My teacher is a narrow minded twat."

Niall hums in agreement although he looks to the younger boy. "Dude, you can't be kicked out. Why are you failing? Are you turning your homework in?"

"I know I'm a theatre major, but maybe I can help. I mean, we're trained to look for sub text and that kind of stuff in every text we look at." Louis offered. "It's the least I can do after you helped me out on Monday."

Nick furrows his brow. "What are you talking about? How did you help her out?" He looks back at the freshman and tries to size him up.

Keaton holds his hands up in an 'I'm innocent' gesture. "Sean was hitting on Louis while she was in the kitchen and I used my superficial charm and quick wit to get rid of him."

Niall snorts. "Yeah, your charm would make anyone leave."

Keaton pouts. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm failing because he doesn't like my writing when we do creative writing prompts."

"Well what do you write about?" Louis asks, genuinely interested.

Nick snorted. "Word of advice, when he gets prompt that starts with, 'I love...' don't make it a sex scene with a girl worshipping cock. He doesn't like that very much." Nick suggests helpfully. "Even if you tell him it's a true story, he'll never believe you."

Louis stares in disgust. "Yeah, I wouldn't either if I was a Freshman English Lit teacher. God, you're sick. You didn't actually write that did you?"

Harry glances up at him. "Where did you even get an idea like that?"

Keaton just blinks. "No! I write science fiction. Either that or exposes on political science and the commination of governmental corruption."

Niall looks at him. "I'm studying chemicals, not Japanese. The hell did you say?"

Nick looks down at Harry. "I was a freshman in college that was constantly horny, but had no girl. Where do think I got the idea? Cock worship is just hot. I love being told how big and thick and amazing my cock is.”

Louis gags. "Can we please focus on Keaton and not your disgusting dick?"

Harry scoffs. "It’s not disgusting and I'm guessing Nick loves having sex with me, I usually do that anyways."

Keaton covers his ears. "It’s like listening to your mum talk about her gynecologist appointment."

"And just like that, I'm out of this conversation. Anyone want anything to drink while I'm up?" Louis abruptly stands and looks around. When no one said anything, she shrugs and heads into the next room.

Nick laughs and shifts as he felt his semi stirring in his pants. All this talk of cock worship let himself get excited about the prospect of sex with Harry later.

Harry flushes when Nick starts to squirm. She bites his ear. "Later, we'll talk about how much I love sucking you off."

Keaton shudders. "None of you really care that I'm failing and this dirty talk is grossing me out. Sex is disgusting in general."

"Thank you! Someone agrees with me! Keaton, if you were three to six years older, we might have had a chance together!" Louis shouts from the kitchen where she's grabbing two beers from the fridge.

Nick huffs and tries to sit as still as possible, but Harry was still in his lap so it was a lost battle. Luckily, he did like the fact that she could basically hide it from everyone.

Louis enters cautiously and hands Niall an open bottle. "Here. Thought you might need something after all this awkward talking and erections popping up all over the place."

Niall chuckles taking a swig of the beer. "Thanks."

Keaton flushes pink. "If I weren't dating Drew." He scurries upstairs before anyone could comment on what he admitted.

Nick splutters as the kid ran the steps. "He's gay? How did we not pick up on that? I feel like it was so obvious."

Louis just chuckles and shouts a congratulations up the stairs to the boy.

They fall into a silence again before Nick brings up the passing of responsibility again. "What about Keaton? He seems like a decent kid. Just give him a backup with muscles and your set."

Niall taps his chin. "He's a cool kid, but I mean the house is usually passed to the juniors not freshman. That's unheard of."

Harry scrunches her eyebrows. "Wait. Drew? One of your brothers? Holy shit! I had sex with a gay guy."

Nick frowns. "You had sex with Drew? When was this? Why didn't I know about this? I mean, I knew about Sean- everyone knew about that one. Sean's not exactly a quiet guy in the sack."

Louis shrugs. "Just a thought. What about Drew? He'll be a senior next year. Let him take the responsibility."

Harry blushes. "Sophomore year. Way before you and I started talking. He was really nice."

Niall smiles. "You know that's actually great. Keaton could be the first freshman to ever inherit the house, but Drew could be Vice to keep him in check. I like that."

Nick kisses Harry's ringlets and nods. "Keaton and Drew it is. Let's just hope Keaton can get his grade up then."

Louis smiles brightly. "Good. He's a sweet boy. I'm sure he'll appreciate this." She looks back over at Niall and curls back into his side.

Nick agrees before wrapping his arms around Harry's waist and leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "I'm going to throw you over my shoulder and carry you to my room and then, I'm going to fuck you. How's that sound? You wanna be fucked?"

Harry shivers although she smiles. "Sounds great. Want the whole frat to hear how wonderful you are in bed."

Niall crinkles his nose in repulsion. That's not something he wants to hear. "We never figured out why he was failing though."

Nick groans. "Well that's for you and your girlfriend to find out. Right now, I'm a man with a beautiful girl on his lap and a growing erection. Have fun, detective." He pushes Harry to her feet and roughly grabs her and picks her up. He says one more quick good bye before climbing the stairs and a slamming door could be heard.

Louis gags. "I have a feeling it's about to get really uncomfortable in here."

Niall laughs. "We could bring Keaton back down here so it’s not just the two of us if that'll make it awkward." He chugs half of his bottle bringing Louis closer to him.

Louis bit her lip. "Actually I was wondering if I could ask my question for the day. I have to head back to my dorm and write a paper and submit my senior thesis before midnight."

She really didn't want to leave, but even though she basically lives in Niall's room her textbooks and laptop don't. She has to go back to her dorm eventually. Niall is running out of clothes for them to wear.

Niall frowns, but nods. "Sure, I have to do laundry anyways. Need stuff to wear for class." He sits up a little not wanting to be too close. Having feelings for someone other than Zayn was all new to him.

"Right. Um," Louis looks down at her lap and wonders if this is a good idea. "Well yesterday in the coffee shop, you said you had already found a girl you liked."

She looks up at him and tries not to be hurt that he had moved away from her. "Do... Do I know her?"

Niall absently laces their fingers together his thumb caressing her knuckle. "Yeah. You definitely know her. She's single and everything."

He looks to the carpet. "My question? Um, Perrie said you ask her every day if I've been to the cafe? Why?"

She frowned. The girl was single? She racked her brain. She guesses it could be Jesy or Jade, but she doesn't think Niall knows them. Then again, he does know a lot of girls.

She blushes and makes a mental note to basically kill Perrie in her sleep. "Well the cafe is really boring and you're the only fun person who comes through. I just like knowing if my shift is going to be boring or if there's a chance I'll get to laugh."

Niall chuckles nodding although he's frowning on the inside. "Oh, I thought that and the heart on the cup were saying something else." He finishes his beer dropping her hand. He disposes it in the recycle bin eying Louis. "Guess I'll see you later then."

Louis bites her lip. They were saying something else. God, she was in love with him and she wants to have that happy relationship with him, but she can't bring herself to say anything.

What was the point in saying anything if she was just going to get rejected? She gets up and kisses his cheek, making sure to linger, before hugging him tightly. "Yeah. I have an exam tomorrow so I'll be getting here pretty late. Don't wait up, okay?"

Niall hugs her back burying his face in her hair. "I'll always wait for you."

\------------

Louis stumbled into the frat house and checked the clock hanging on the wall. It was eleven forty nine and she was dead. She pulled an all-nighter the day before to write a ten page paper and submit her senior thesis. Then she had a three hour exam for Set Design and then had work the closing shift at the cafe. All in all, she was exhausted and just wanted to crash.

On her way back to the house, she had stopped by her dorm and packed a bag filled with clothes and shoes so she could stop wearing Niall's clothes and making him do his laundry twice as often. Her backpack was filled with textbooks and her laptop with just enough room for her notebook. She really hoped Niall wouldn't mind all of her stuff in his room.

Trudging up the stairs, she finally made it to Niall's room and opens the door slowly so as not to disturb him. She knew that Thursdays were his busy days so she expected him asleep and getting ready for the long day ahead of him.

Niall's at his desk a beer on one side of him. He's analyzing the genetic codes of different cough syrups. He huffs throwing the packet onto his desk. "Ugh, I just want Louis here already." He murmurs to himself.

"Shouldn't you be in bed sleeping?" Louis asks as she walks in. She tosses her clothes bag to the side and gently sets the textbooks down next to the dresser.

She walks over to him and loops her arms around his neck from behind, looking at the jumble of words and letters on the paper in front of him. "Why couldn't you have picked a major that I could help you with?"

Niall jumps slightly. "Oh, hey. Uh, I have a mid-term next week. I still have to call Healthy Planet and schedule a meeting to talk about pesticides." He leans back against her swiveling his head to kiss her cheek.

Louis hums showing that she had heard. "Well, you work on that. I'm getting changed and going to beat. I'm absolutely exhausted. I only got about two hours of sleep last night."

She kisses his hair and moves away and slips her cardigan from her shoulders. "Uh, stay turned that way. I was out of clean underwear and didn't have a key to Harry's dorm so I kind of had to go without underwear. Do you have any clean boxers I could borrow?"

She slips her top and bra off and grabs at the Sigma Nu sweatshirt she had grown so accustom to wearing to bed. "So besides studying, what did you do today?"

"I have boxers in my middle dresser drawer. Go ahead and pick." He waves his hand in the direction of the wood furniture.

"Talked to Keaton. Told him about passing the frat to him and he almost passed out. Then he went on a tangent about the Holocaust. I think he got less sleep then you did."

She chuckles as she moves over to the dresser and starts rooting through to find a pair she likes. "The Holocaust? What is his major?"

She finds a white pair with green shamrocks on them and slips them on. She didn't think Niall would own a pair of shamrock boxers- Irish pride or not. "Well, how about these? I look good in them right?"

Niall leans back eyebrows furrowed. "You know I've never thought to ask. I think he just knows about everything really." He turns and blushes at her choice. "Nick got me those as a gag present last year."

She giggles and moves to get into his bed. "Gag or not, I love them. Now," she pulls the comforter up just enough to pool at her waist. "You going to stare at more words or are you going to come and sleep with me?"

She blushes at her word choice, but pats the mattress next to her anyway. "Come on. You have an early morning. Get some sleep."

Niall raises his eyebrows. "I don't remember you being this forward, but of course I'll sleep with you."

He winks when he makes the innuendo crawling under the comforter. He pulls her into his chest one arm lazily thrown over her side. "I don't have to get up until nine. Wanna continue the game?"

Louis furrows her brows. "I thought you had a seven thirty class?" She thinks hard about it before groaning. "Shit. I got our schedules mixed. I get the early day tomorrow."

She sighs and smiles and looks at his bed side clock and reads eleven fifty nine. "Sure. Today's and tomorrow's question since it's so late. You go first though."

She laces their fingers together over her stomach like they always do now when they sleep and yawns deeply before wiggling backwards to try and burrow into him and get comfortable.

Niall jerks his hips back. "Stop wiggling unless you're trying to get me hard." He coughs trying to think of a question. "Um, if I got hard would you help me fix it?"

He really can't think of a better question it is late, or early.

Louis freezes and attempts not to move anymore, but now his body heat is gone and she's getting cold. "Uh... I mean, I would wank you if that's what you'd want, but I'd need a lot of convincing before I blew you. Probably just a lot of reassuring that you'd love me forever and that it you wouldn't leave after I got you off."

She squirms a little uncomfortable with the question, but she was just rubbing against him so she guesses it's only fair. "Next question?"

Niall thinks about it. "Didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He taps his chin with his index finger. "What do you look for in a guy?"

She unlaces their fingers and turns to face him. His face is so close and she wonders if she could just press her lips against his and get him to understand- to see that he's all she's looking for.

But she's a coward and just looks down between them, grabbing for his hand that isn't still draped around her side. "Someone funny and charming. Someone who just gets me and understands me. Someone I wouldn't expect."

Louis is staring at his face again and she wants to just do it, all it is centimetres away and she can feel his breath across her face, but she can't bring herself to move her head forward.

Niall moves down, but he kisses her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin. "I'm sure you'll find someone like that." He rests his chin on her hair, eyes closing. Just her against him makes everything a little better. "Your turn. Two questions."

Louis has to think because her brain is shutting down. She's tired and Niall is holding her and everything is just so confusing. She presses a kiss to his throat since it's there and sighs.

"What are your plans for after college? I mean you'll be a biochemical engineer. What can you do with that?" She feels stupid asking, but she's never really been sure what the job entails.

Niall nods. "There's a lot. It’s ranked one of the best degrees. I can work in a lab doing anything, can work as a pharmaceutical technician, or in a hospital. I personally want to work with medicine and how they work as catalysts within the human body."

He shrugs knowing he sounds like a nerd and he'd never get Louis to like him.

She nods, only really understanding about half of what he says. She smiles thinks about him in a white coat in science lab trying to make some miracle drug.

She giggles at the image before think of another question. "I know you said that marriage isn't for you, but what about kids? Don't you want little Nialls and... Whoever the girl you got pregnant running around?"

Niall sighs. "I'd leave that up to the girl. If I ever met someone special and she wanted kids then I wouldn't tell her no."

He cards his fingers through her locks. She probably has a ton of guys to choose from and he's not one of them.

Louis furrows her brow and sits up a little to look down at him. "But that wasn't the question. I asked what you wanted. Not what does your special fuck buddy want. What do you, Niall Horan from Mullingar, Ireland, want?"

She wants to know. She doesn't understand why she desperately wants to know, but now it's all she can focus on and she's only worried about having him admit what he wants.

Niall sighs. "Never really thought about it. In the future when I'm financially stable and can afford a good home then yeah I guess I'd want a child or two." He wants to ask why she's so curious, but he's run out of questions for the day.

Louis smiles. "At least that that's a better answer." She turns back around so her back is to his chest and lies down again, lacing their fingers once more. "Now get close. I'm freezing and want your body heat to keep me warm." She demands wiggling to get comfortable once again.

He grips one side of her hips. "Stop moving unless you want me to get aroused." He closes his eyes though on the verge of exhaustion.

She huffs. "Fine."

Louis stills under his hand and closes her eyes. She feels protected and loved and she can't help but let a tiny bit of hope spring up inside her at the thought that maybe she was what he looking for.

\------------

Louis feels her phone vibrating from her alarm and knows that it’s six forty five and she only has half an hour till she has to trek across campus to get to get to her Vocal Training Level 350.

She's about to get up when she realises that there's something different this morning. She's still in Niall's boxers and sweatshirt and she's still in the bed. She still has Niall's arm wrapped tightly around her (even if it is grabbing her tighter than normal). She just about to give up when it clicks.

Niall is lying behind her, breathing erratic to her ears and she can feel his cock pressed against her ass and she nearly faints. She has no clue what to do. In the three days they've been sharing the bed, this is the first time this has happened.

Louis tries to get free, but her wiggling must not be the solution because his grip tightens and he starts moving his hips against her and there's a slight moan next to her ear.

"Niall? Oh, god. Please wake up. Niall?" She doesn't shout since it's still pretty early and she doesn't need the whole frat waking up.

Niall's pretty deep in his dream. Louis' there and she's wearing a maid costume he saw in a store while passing a few months back. He wraps his other arm around her by squeezing his hand underneath her side. His fingers lace together and he's grinding a bit harder.

"Lou," he whimpers breath sharp and choppy.

Louis bites at her lip so unsure of what to do. On one hand- she told him that she would help him when he got hard, but on the other hand- he was unconscious. He'd never know if she kept her word or not.

She hears him say her name and that's what sparks her on. He's dreaming about her and while she finds that incredibly repulsing, she also finds it absolutely amazing.

She pushes back into his hips and meets his grinding. She closes her eyes tightly and hopes to god he doesn't wake up.

Louis gasps as she can feel herself getting even more turned on by all of his and she grabs at his hand around her waist and he moves them a bit lower to the opening in his boxers and stops when she realises what she's doing.

This is about his pleasure, not hers.

Niall's on top of Louis his hand at her entrance thumb stroking the tiny ball of nerves. What he doesn't realize is the heat coming off of her in his dreams is heat coming off of her in reality.

"Mm." His hum is murmured barely audible. His fingertips push past the hole in his boxers rubbing at her perineum. His hands dance across her skin moving past her folds, and he's still rucking against her.

Louis squeals as his hands find her sensitive skin and she thrusts against his hand while still trying to grind down on his hips. She wants him to touch there forever, but he's not even conscious to know he's doing it.

"N-Niall!" She rolling her hips to get his fingers deeper and still be able to grind against him. She feels herself getting wet and she can practically hear his fingers rubbing at her, she's so slick with her own juices. She knows she won't last long. No one, not even herself, has touched her liked this since freshman year and Niall is just really good at this.

She wants him awake. She wants him to see what he's doing to her and how much he affects her. Her nails dig into his forearm as he hits a particular spot and she's just so damn close.

Niall's eyes flutter open and it takes him a moment to fully wake up. "Lou?"

He sits up slightly but his pants as well as his fingers are wet. He looks down and he sees where his hand is, judging by the warmth he knows exactly what he's doing. "Fuck!"

He pulls his fingers out of her cheeks flushed. "Jesus Christ, I'm so sorry."

Louis whimpers at the loss, but knows it's for the best. She lays there for a second, horribly embarrassed and impossibly turned on. She really just needs to finish. She looks up at Niall, her breathing still not quite under control. "Can... Can you please just finish? God I'm so close and it aches. Please, Niall."

She sounds so whiny, even to her own ears. At this though, she's past caring and she really just needs his fingers back in her.

Niall's eyes widen. He's used to girls begging, but he's never been so hesitant to do it. "I... Louis..." He sits up ruffling his hair with his clean hand. "We're just friends. Friends don't do that."

Louis closes her eyes tightly and bites her lip to keep the tears from leaking through. She needs to get up. She needs to leave this room and get away from him for a while.

"I should get ready for class... I've wasted ten minutes already." She gets up as quick as she can and grabs a towel before heading to the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

Once the fan is on and the water is pouring down around, she lets herself cry. She knew letting him get close would be a bad idea and now she wasn't sure if she could continue this friendship without getting hurt.

\------------

Niall doesn't know why he feels like he's done something wrong. He's respecting her. She didn't want him to touch her but now she does and it’s confusing.

He grabs the bathroom key off his desk opening the door. If she really wants it he would do it.

Niall strips naked quietly slipping in the shower and she's breathtaking. The way the beads of water accumulate on her body, hair matted and wet. He slips his arms around her waist and he's getting just as soaked. "Shhhh. I didn't continue because of what happened Friday. I didn't want to lose you."

Louis leans back into his arms and continues to cry as he holds her. "I just want to make you happy. You mean more to me than you'll ever know."

She lets the water run over them and finds herself impossibly frustrated- mentally, physically, and sexually. She doesn't understand why she trusts Niall like his when all he's ever done is hurt her when she counted on him the most. "If you don't want to do this, I can get you off and leave."

"No. I've always focused on how I felt, on getting myself off. This is about you, Lou. This right here." He lets his hands brush down her sides and over to where he needed to be. He lightly rubs at the ball of tissue with his thumb, his index and middle running past her folds.

She chokes on her tears as the feeling she had so desperately been trying to get rid of starts to consume her again. She can't help as her hips stutter forward to meet his fingers and she reflexively reaches up to wrap an arm around the back of his neck and grasp at the short hair there.

Her head is tilted back against his shoulder and she's finding it hard to breathe again. Her other hand snakes down to grasp his length and start to rub one out for him.

Niall moans burying his nose into the crook of her neck. "Fuck, you don't need to do that. Lou, you don't need to. I'm still going to talk to you even if you stop. I'm not going to be upset. I promise."

He licks her shoulder moving his fingers deeper inside of her.

Louis wants to believe him, she desperately wants to, but there's this voice in the back of her mind telling her that if she stops, he'll kick her out and he'll laugh at how he fooled her and how he can't believe she fell for it.

She decides to chance it though because she loves him. Fuck, she really loves him. They've only known each other for seventeen days and she feels like he knows her better than Harry. And she really just wants to believe him because she loves him so much.

Louis let's go of his length and focuses on the feel of his fingers inside of her and she's close- so close she's shaking. Her now free hand is looking for something to grab onto and when she feels his other hand against her stomach, she reaches for it and links their fingers together.

"Fuck, Niall! Shit! So close!" She's gasping for air and she's pretty sure if anyone is in Nick's bathroom on the other side of the wall, they can hear her. She just doesn't care though because the only thing running through her mind is NiallNiallNiallNiall.

Niall squeezes her hand his fingers picking up speed. Every time he pulls out though, he bends his fingers to scrape against her sensitive inner walls. "Almost there? You like my fingers in you? Like me doing this to you?"

"Yes! Oh, fuck! Please! Please!" She's ready to collapse at the intense feeling coursing through her and she's sure that if he wasn't holding her, she'd be on the ground.

It's a few seconds before the feeling in her lower abdomen explodes and she's coming hard around his fingers. "Niall! Oh god! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"

Niall loves the way she moans his name and this is the first time in three years he wants to hear it over and over again. He pulls his fingers out grabbing a sponge and cleaning her off. "You should go."

Louis freezes. She knew it. He was kicking her out. He told her she was different and she fell for it. She had no one to blame but herself.

She shakily nods and steps from the shower and grabs a towel to dry herself off. She looks at her reflection in the steamy mirror and hates what she saw.

Rushing into the main room, she grabs a pair of sweats and a shirt from her bag and a pair of boxers from Niall's drawer before hastily dressing herself and snatching her backpack from the floor and running out the door.

If Niall wanted her gone that badly, then she'd just go back to her dorm and act like he never happened. He'd never been to her dorm and Harry would never tell him where it was. She could make it to graduation.

Only eight months away.

\------------

Niall's confused. He's racking his brain for a possible reason why she'd leave him. Did he say something wrong? His previous words ring through his ears, ‘You should go.’

"Fuck!" He's such an idiot. He can't believe how much of an asshole he made himself sound like. It’s no longer just a crush, he's falling for her and he refuses to let her go.

He shuts his shower off but he doesn't have time to get dressed. He tugs his boxers on snatching the key off the counter. The key unlocked both his bathroom and room door.

Niall runs out of his room door still ajar and water still rolling down his chest. She had to have left the house. Without hesitation he's sprinting across the courtyard. There are people staring at him. Probably wondering why the hell a half-naked frat guy was running like he was on track.

He can see her and his heart beats with each propulsion of his legs. "Louis!"

Niall finally, finally, manages to catch her in the middle of campus. He turns her around and he can't stand the look on her face. He's done that and now he has to fix it.

"Don't leave me." He can't breathe, but despite how much oxygen he's burning he slams his lips against hers. His heart swells and now he really can't breathe. He wraps his arms around her waist never wanting to let her go. "God, I'm so sorry. When I said you should go I meant to your class not to go away."

Niall just kisses her again and it’s strange. He's never kissed a girl without tongue, but this was a hundred times better.

Louis is crying and kissing him back and her arms are around his neck and she can't believe she thought he lied to her. She's so damn stupid. "I'm so sorry. I should never have thought you lied to me. You're better than that. I trust you so damn much. I'm never gonna leave you."

Niall breathes taking her bag of clothes from her, wanting to take it back to his dorm. "I'm the one who's sorry. I should have said it better."

He brings a key out from the small pocket stitched into his underwear. "I know you have class and all but when you're done," he grabs her hand pressing the small piece of metal into her palm, "come home."

She curls her hand around the metal and smiles brightly through the tears that are still falling and she presses their lips together once more before pulling back. "I'm late for vocal training."

She let's go of his hand and turns to head to the music building, constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't imagined it. But there he was. Pale, blond Irishman standing in the courtyard in nothing put a pair of boxers holding her duffel full of clothes and watching as she left.

She doesn't know what this means for them, but she's excited.

\------------

Niall's just come back from running around trying to avoid anyone who looked like they would ask questions. He throws her bag onto his bed going back to the living room. He's too emotionally drained and physically exhausted to care about clothing.

Niall sits on the sofa switching the television on.

Nick comes down the stairs and isn't all that surprised to see Niall. He heard so much noise coming his room this morning. At first Nick thought Louis had fallen or something since he knew Niall didn't have to be up that early, but when he got in the shower he could swear he heard Louis and Niall talking. And then it had gotten louder and...

He's pretty sure he just listened to his best mate have sex with girlfriend's best mate.

He decides to play it down though. Niall would tell him. They tell each other everything.

He walks past the boy and slaps him on the arm as he passes him for the kitchen. "What are you doing up this early? You're first lesson isn't till nine."

Niall scratches the back of his neck. "I just ran across campus in my underwear." He finds something worth watching lounging back against the couch. "What are you doing up?"

Nick stops and stares at him. That wasn't the answer he was looking for. "I'm going to the gym. Can't hold Harry up long enough when we're fucking against the wall."

He starts to head towards the kitchen again before shaking his head and turning to stare at his friend again. "Okay. I was trying to ignore this, but what? You ran across campus in your underwear? Any specific reason why?"

Niall hums nodding. "Yeah, uh, Louis spent the night. I kinda woke up in the middle of a wet dream to find my fingers in her. She was enjoying it though. We, uh... There was a shower involved. Anyways she thought I was kicking her out so I had to chase her down."

He scrunches his nose mocking Nick's earlier words. "I was trying to ignore this, but you literally fuck Harry against a wall?"

Nick smiled. "Forget about fucking Harry, you and Louis... You guys had sex in the shower? That explains why Louis was basically screaming this morning."

He jumped around excitedly clapping his hands. "Oh wait till Harry finds out! She owe me fifty bucks!"

He continues into the kitchen, shouting as he went. "Congratulations on finally getting Louis by the way. Does this mean we should get ready for the next girl?"

"We didn't have sex!" Niall calls following Nick into the kitchen. He bites into his lip knowing the entire frat would find out sometime. Might as well start with Nick. "There is no other girl. I think... I think I'm going to ask Louis to be my girlfriend."

Nick stopped what he was doing and looked up at Niall. "Are you being serious right now? Niall..."

He's proud of his friend. He's so proud of his progress and being able to even think of Louis as girlfriend material. But there's one little problem.

"Have you talked to Zayn? She's one of Louis' best friends. She'll be around when they do group things and that means Liam too. I think you need to bury the hatchet before asking Louis."

Niall doesn't want to, but if it means having Louis then he would. "I'll do anything to get her."

The front door opens, hushed whispering going on.

Keaton is against Drew's chest blushing. His glasses were sliding down his nose trying to look him in the eye but he was two years younger and four inches shorter. "Drew, someone might be awake. Nick and Niall know but I could just say I was lying."

"Keaton, I've been here longer than you have. I know all the boys' sleeping schedule. How do you think I snuck guys in and out of here last year?" Drew chuckles. "Now, come on. I'm hungry. Maybe there's some food in the kitchen." He drags Keaton into him by the wrist and presses their lips together while walking them backwards to the other room.

Nick quirks an eyebrow as the two came into view, but decided to let them have their moment until they noticed Niall and himself.

Keaton sighs. "I'm not just another guy right?" He pushes his glasses back up feet shuffling across the floor.

Niall clears his throat waving to the two. "Hey you two, what's for breakfast? Each other?"

Drew jumps at the sound and looks over at Niall. His face his bright red and he splutters for something to say. "Uh, um, I uh... No?"

Nick laughs. "You're fine, guys. We don't care. It's really none of our business what you guys do."

Keaton drops Drew's hand. "Don't mind me just another guy coming through." He maneuvers around the guys wanting something to eat.

Niall chuckles. "Think you're in trouble, Drew."

Drew sighs. "Keaton, you're not just another guy!" He moves to follow the boy and wrap his arms around Keaton's waist and tries to get him to talk to him.

Keaton pushes weakly at his chest. "Didn't you just compare me to other guys?"

"No! I just meant that I used to bring guys here before I met you. Trust me, I'm not sneaking anyone in here anymore. I have you." Drew tries to get Keaton to see his point.

Keaton sighs leaning back against his chest. "It’s really early I'm going to take a nap."

Nick chuckles and turns back to Niall. "I know you said you'd do anything to get her, but do you really think you can talk to Zayn without yelling and accusing her? Trust me, I'll be the first to back you up, but you need to listen to her- not just yell at her."

Niall thinks about it. Can he really talk to Zayn and not be rude? He swallows thickly. "I meant it when I said I'd do anything for Louis."

Nick smiles. "I don't doubt that, Ni. Why don't you start with Liam first though. It would probably go better." He looked up at the kitchen clock. I have to go to the gym before classes. Bye, Ni."

Niall nods waving to Nick. "See ya."

He notices Keaton and Drew kissing so he heads to his room for clothes. He knew he needed to talk to Liam, but he didn't want to. Niall would have to deal.

\------------

Louis grabs a tray and looks around the cafeteria for Harry. Quickly spotting the girl, she bounces over a little happier than she normally would.

"Good afternoon, curly! I trust everything is going splendidly with Nicholas? He's such a nice guy." She sets her lunch down and sighs happily as she takes her seat.

Harry quirks her eyebrow, sitting across from her best friend. "Yeah he's great." She takes a bite of her sandwich and the happy look Louis' wearing is getting to her, curiosity unfortunately taking over. "What's got you so happy?"

Louis smiles. "It's been a good morning. I think I've finally found someone who won't hurt me like the last guys." She picks up her slice of pizza and bites happily into the cheesy, greasy goodness.

Harry sighs placing her meal on the styrofoam plate. "Yeah I get that you've had a good day, but why? And guy?" Her eyes widen and she leans forward. "Wait. Perhaps... Is this guy a blond Irishman named Niall?"

Louis nods emphatically. "He's not an asshole like I originally thought. He's... I don't know how to explain it." She didn't exactly want to tell Harry everything because Harry was one of those girls who would poke holes in your happiness. Most of the time it was for Louis' safety or well-being, but she didn't think Harry would take Niall finger fucking her well- especially with his reputation.

Harry tilts her head hair billowing out. "Okay you've already said that. What happened this morning?" She narrows her eyes. Louis is hiding something from her and she wants to know what.

The brunet quickly glances away and hopes for something, anything, to distract her friend with. "Did you hear that after Sean was kicked out of Sigma Nu he pledged to Delta Chi? Loyalty, huh?"

She takes another bite of her pizza and groans dramatically. "This is absolutely delicious. Here! Try some!" She shoves the fattening treat towards Harry.

Harry pushes Louis' hand away. "I call this a distraction. I don't care about Sean and I don't care about pizza." She sighs. Why was her best friend keeping secrets from her? "Just tell me. Why don't you want me to know?"

Louis sighs and sets her pizza back on her plate. "It's not that I don't want you to know, I just don't want you to rain on my parade. I know you care, but it took me forever to get where I am."

She squirms I'm her seat a little before leaning forward and beckoning Harry closer. "You have to promise not to say anything to anyone- especially Zayn or Nick. And you can't interject till I'm done. Deal?"

"I'm not going to tell anyone." Harry groans. She gets up sliding next to Louis to keep it a secret if it was that bad. "I won't rain on your parade, but I'll be honest. And I won't interrupt. Now tell me." She whines, anticipation and suspense getting to her.

Louis sighs heavily. "Fine."

She drops her voice again, too afraid someone would hear. "I had an orgasm this morning, like mind blowing. And, um, Niall gave it to me. I woke up for class and he was having a sex dream. His hand found its way in my boxers and... Yeah." She feels her face turning red. "I mean, he woke up and immediately removed his hand and apologised, but we ended up in the shower and he fingered me."

She holds her face in her hands. Groaning, she sound exasperated. "How do you and Nick talk so freely about this? I'm getting embarrassed by telling you."

Harry chuckles. "We've talked about it so much it doesn't faze us anymore." She wraps an arm around Louis. "He didn't kick you out right? I mean you seem happy and all but..."

"I thought he did. He cleaned me off afterward and said, 'you should go.' I was so upset. I mean, he had just promised me that he wouldn't do that. I was so upset, I just got dressed, grabbed my stuff, and left. It hurt so bad. It felt like Matt and Delta Chi all over again." She curls her hands into fists to keep the hurt and anguish over that douche bag at bay. "I really though Niall was different."

She takes a deep breath and swallows the hurt from the mere mention of Matt. "I was half way across campus when I heard him calling my name. Harry, he ran in his fucking boxers from the Sigma Nu house just to get me back. He kissed me and told me not to leave him."

She digs around into her pockets and brings the key out and holds it to show the green eyed girl. "He told me to come home after classes."

Harry couldn't help the impossibly large dimpled grin. "Oh my God, Lou." She takes the key examining it. "Louis, how do you feel about him after all that? I mean you guys aren't together. Right?"

And there's the Harry she knows. Poking holes in her happiness. "No. We're not together. He still doesn't date, but it's progress, right? I mean, you and Nick had that awkward 'we're having sex but aren't dating' period. Why can't Niall and I have one? Granted, there won't be any sex, but..."

She huffs as she loses complete faith in her logic. "I'm just going on the fact that told me to come home and gave me a key to his room."

Harry nods. "It’s something, but some guys do a lot to get into a girl's pants. If you had sex with him what do you think would have happened? Would he have run after you then? I'm just looking out for you." She loves Louis and she just wants her to make the right choice.

And just like that, Louis isn't sure what to think anymore and now the key is just a cruel taunt to the small voices in her head.

\------------

Niall's sitting on the porch steps of the Sigma Nu house, hands folded in his lap. He's called Liam. It was an awkward phone conversation but at least he answered. He looks up to see the boy. "Hi."

He hadn't really told Liam why he needed to talk he just told him it was an emergency.

"Hey. Is everything okay? I mean, the house is still standing and I didn't hear any ambulances so..." Liam shoves his hands in the pocket of his old Sigma Nu hoodie.

Late September winds blow through the trees making leaves fall and scatter from to the ground at their feet. Liam watches as they dance on the breeze becoming coming to rest on the lush green carpet below.

"I, uh, I kind of need to be back to my dorm quickly. I'm taking, um, Zayn out for dinner. Kind of our six month anniversary." The boy mumbles.

Niall wants to yell at him. Five and a half months he was lied to? He closes his eyes mentally counting to ten. "I need to talk to you." He licks over his lips nervously. "I want to, uh... Ask Louis out but since she's friends with you and... Zayn, I figured it was time to go back to how it was before."

Liam looks up from where he's kicking at the concrete. "You mean… You want to be friends again? Niall, I never wanted to stop being friends." He stares at the blond trying to see if he was being truthful. Sighing when he saw no deceit, he moves to sit next to Niall on the stairs.

"Look, I know that while Zayn wasn't technically on The List, she should have been and I'm sorry. She asked for my help and that's what started this. She said she couldn't get your face when you found them out of her mind. She said she wanted to try the whole monogamy thing and she asked me to help her change. Somewhere along the way, we fell for each other. I just feel like you needed to know that I didn't do this to hurt you intentionally."

Niall sighs. "I'm over it. If I weren't over it would I be trying to go out with someone else?" He glances at Liam. "When's the last time I went out with someone? When's the last time I wanted something besides sex from a girl? When's the last time I've ever felt this way about someone? I'll admit I used to think Zayn was the one, but after she told me she slept with ten guys... I didn't know what to think."

Liam smiles softly. "Have you told Louis how many girls you've slept with? If she hasn't gone running yet, I think she's perfect for you." He pats his friend's back a few times. "If you haven't slept with her yet and you're thinking of asking her out, that's even better. That way she knows it isn't for the sex”.

He laughs lightly. "I'm proud of you, Niall. You seem genuinely happy for the first time in three years. I missed it."

"Yeah I told her and she said she could get over it." Niall shrugs smiling softly. He looks at his lap messing with his fingers.

"I, uh, fingered her this morning but I refused to let her get me off. I told her she should go but I meant to her class and that was my fault for wording it wrong. She ran out the door and I chased her halfway down the campus in my underwear. Gave her a key to my room."

"Louis is a lucky girl and I'm positive she'll be excited when you ask her, but talk to Zayn first. I'm glad that we cleared the air, but I'm not the one you've seen naked... I mean, you have but that was cause we were streaking together."

He laughs and checks his watch. "I have to go, but I'll tell Zayn to text you, yeah? Bye, Niall. And thanks." He holds his hand out for the blond to grab.

Niall grabs his hand and pulls him back down for a hug. "We're forgiving each other, not closing a business deal." He's happy he finally has Liam back. "Do you want back into the frat?

Liam lights up at the question. "More than anything. I miss you guys and the closeness we had. I fucking hate living in the dorms. I don't know how some people do it."

"Well, move your shit back in. I'll let Nick know. I'll see you later, Li."

\------------

Louis walks into the frat house and saw a bunch of the boys sitting around the living room in their boxers and drinking while playing each other in Call of Halo or some game that boys play. She scans and searches for Niall hoping she could get some time alone to herself to think.

She frowns when she can't find him and starts up the stairs to his room. Pushing the door open, she sees no one and wonders if maybe he's in the bathroom. She sets her backpack down and flops on the bed, curling up into a tight ball and begins thinking about what Harry had said at lunch.

Niall walks in from the back door. He rolls his eyes at the scene of his brothers. He's needed time to think and he's decided that he feels better after talking to Liam. He climbs the stairs pushing his door open.

"Oh hey. How were classes? Anyone ask you about the scene with you kissing a half-naked kid?" He chuckles lying next to her.

"My vocal class saw. They were watching from a window." She whispers. She just wants to be alone to think and he's not helping by being here and lying with her. "I think people knew who you were, but they had no clue who I was. Although, the theatre majors thought it was great. They thought it was very dramatic and romantic." Louis tries to move discreetly away from him.

Niall smiles, cupping her jaw. "Well I'm glad we captivated our audience." He wants to kiss her, but they really haven't crossed that threshold. "Hey I know we asked questions this morning, but do you want to ask some anyways?"

Louis closes her eyes tightly and shakes her head. "Maybe later tonight. I really want to just take a nap. I need to think and figure some things out."

She feels horrible, but she doesn't want this... Whatever this is to go any farther if Harry ends up being right.

Niall frowns. He jerks his hand back like he's been burned and, if the look on his face is anything to go by, he might as well have. "Um, sure."

He shuffles towards the door. "Louis?" He wants to ask what things she had to figure out, but he closes his mouth instead. "Never mind."

Louis feels like the biggest bitch in the world, but Harry made her start questioning things and why does Harry always have to make her think? She groans and smothers her face into the closest pillow and begins crying.

She wants to shout for Niall to come back and fuck her right there so then she can finally have her answer to Harry's question, but she knows that she isn't ready for that. She doesn't know when she'll be ready, but she does know Niall will get tired of her if she doesn't put out soon.

\------------

Niall sighs leaving the frat. He closes his eyes and he's close to tears. He sent Nick a simple text. 'I think I just got rejected.'

\------------

Nick is out with Harry, laughing and being disgustingly adorable, when his phone goes off. He chuckles against Harry's lips. "Hold on. Someone texted me."

He slips his phone out and frowns at the message. "I thought you said Louis really liked Niall. You said she was really excited at lunch and everything."

Harry nods. "Yeah she really likes him, why?" She doesn't understand where the sudden question came from. She's guessing Niall had said something.

He slips the phone over her way and lets her see the text from the boy. "What could get her to change her mind like that then? Louis doesn't just do that."

His eyes widen. "Do you think she regrets this morning? You said she doesn't normally do that so maybe she's like upset with herself?"

Harry bites her lip. "Well I just told Louis to be realistic." She wants to get the spotlight off of her. "Text him back or something."

"You told her what? Harry! She's Niall's whole world right now! What could she possibly be realistic about other than the fact that he loves her?" Nick is so angry right now, but he knows taking his anger out on Harry won't do him any good.

He hits the reply button and starts the message. ‘999! Don't think she's rejecting you. I'm bringing home the problem and the solution. You have every right to yell at Harry tonight.'

He hits the send button and grabs Harry's wrist. "Come on. You're telling her this is ridiculous and you overreacted."

Harry shakes her head. "I didn't overreact. How do you know Niall's not doing all of this to get in her pants? It’s not like this would be the first time."

\------------

Niall's crying and he's reached a park bench by that point. 'It hurts, Nick. It’s Zayn all over again. Why did I ever think this was a good idea?'

\------------

"Because he wants to ask her out! He wants to be her boyfriend! He wouldn't even let her wank him off this morning! That's how I know. My best mate has changed and I know you can't see it, but I can." He lets go of her wrist and just glares at her.

People deserved second chances and if Harry wasn't going to allow Niall his second chance, then he wanted nothing to do with her. "Look, I love you, but everyone makes mistakes. If you can't give Niall a chance to fix his, then I don't see us working out. Bros before hos."

Harry's jaw clenches. Did Nick really just do that? She storms off back to her dorm.

With that he takes off. He reads Niall's newest message as he walks. 'It's not Zayn all over again. It's friends meddling in lives that don't concern them. On my way back to the frat. Where are you?'

\------------

'By the park.' Niall wipes at his eyes but he's still crying and he can't stop.

\------------

'I'm on my way. Everything is going to be okay. We're going to get your princess back. I promise.' He takes a left and sees the entrance to the park just off campus.

\------------

Niall's face is buried in his knees crying. His eyes hurt, they were red and swollen. He glances up long enough to see Nick coming. "I'm never getting her back. She shoved me away."

Nick pulls him into a hug and rubs at his back. "Don't think like that. She just got some terrible advice. You need to prove that this isn't about sex, Niall. That's what she's thinking."

He's upset that Harry would do this, but he understands. If Louis was a slag and slept around, he wouldn't let her anywhere near Niall. "Have you told her how you feel? You need to talk to her. Go back there and show her that she's here to stay."

"I'm not ready to ask her out though. I already had a plan on how I wanted to do it." He leans into Nick's embrace rapidly blinking his eyes.

"Why does this always happen to me?" He whispers wiping stray tears from his eyes.

Nick sighs. "Come on. We're going back to the house and you're staying in my room until she's ready to talk." He throws an arm around Niall's shoulder. "Besides, you have to teach me how to be single again. I think Harry and I broke up."

"I'm sorry." Niall murmurs, wiping at his eyes. Its silent after that and when he gets to the frat he falls asleep in Nick's bed.

\------------

Louis looks at the clock by the bed and sees that it's nearing nine in the evening and she hasn't heard anything from anyone. She gets up and pulls opens the door and heads down the steps.

"Niall? Niall, are you down here?" She looks around the living room to see the boys from earlier struggling to keep their eyes open and focused on the game, but no Niall.

She heads into the kitchen hoping to see him nearby. "Ni?"

One of the frat brothers (Keaton's older brother in fact) Wes, calls after Louis. "Niall's passed out in Nick's room." He went back to watching the latest Slasher movie with some of the other guys.

She frowns and thanks him before heading back up the stairs and to Nick's room. Opening the door, she sees the small lump in the middle of the bed.

Louis heads over to the furniture and shakes the boy's shoulder. "Niall? Niall, wake up. I want to talk to you."

Niall sits up, groggy, and if his eyes weren't red and swollen before, they were purple and puffy now. "Why do you want to talk? So you can push me away?" He's upset and maybe he should ignore Louis, but it’s his infatuation that keeps him from doing that.

"What? No. I just had to think some things through." Louis crawls onto the bed next to him, but keeps just enough space so they aren't touching.

"Niall, I love what you did this morning. You basically embarrassed yourself in front of a ton of people just so I would know what you meant." She smiled at the image of him in his boxers. "I really, really like you and I might even find myself thinking about you at inappropriate times during the day, so I don't know why I let someone else's opinion cloud my judgement."

She leaned in slowly and pressed their lips together, enjoying the feel and taste of his against hers.

Niall kisses her back. He tilts his head to the left cupping her cheek. "You're right. You shouldn't let someone's opinion cloud your judgment." He looks to the ground awkwardly unsure of where to take this. Louis admitted she liked him but he needs to stick to his plan.

Louis sensed his hesitation and felt her heart crumble a little, but she smiles through it. "Come on. Let's go back to your room and ask a question or two before going to bed."

She got up and reached for his hand. "I know we already used today's question, but maybe we can do tomorrow's and maybe even Saturday's questions a little early."

Niall nods. "Yeah we can finish the game tomorrow." He suddenly brightens up at the prospect. He's been wanting to finish the game for the past few days now.

"Good. You can ask your questions first then since you're so excited." Louis led them back across the hall to Niall's room and pushed him towards the bed while she set about getting ready for bed.

She slipped her shirt above her head and tossed it with Niall's dirty clothes before stripping down to the borrowed boxers. Frowning, she turns back to Niall. "Where's your sweatshirt? I don't have another shirt to wear to bed."

"It’s hanging in the closet. Freshly washed." He runs over possible questions in his mind. "Uh what did you need to figure out earlier?" Niall asks suppressing a yawn.

Louis moves to the closet and quickly pulls it on over her chest and heads back to the bed to cuddle for the night. "Harry asked me if I thought you were genuine with your display this morning or if it was another attempt to in my pants." She lies down with her back to his chest and his arm draped over her waist. She can't believe she almost gave this up.

Niall swallows thickly letting his fingers dance over her side. "Second question." He kisses her ear mentally preparing himself for an answer he might not like. "Why would you believe her?"

"Because I'm scared and it be easier to just believe my best friend then trust a guy I met seventeen days ago. I just didn't want this to be Matt from Delta Chi all over again." She turns to look at him. "I'm not perfect, Niall. There are going to be times when you say something and I just won't believe you, but I trust you to not hurt me."

Niall nods. "I want you to trust me." He holds her close afraid that she might disappear, might push him away, but he wants to be in this for the long haul. "Your turn."

She thinks about how to word this. "Do you see yourself dating anytime if the near future?" The silent ‘or should I give up?’ is implied. She fiddles with his fingers nervously, almost afraid of the answer to her own question.

Niall smiles softly. "I do, in the very near future actually." He doesn't want to discourage her with a lie, but he also doesn't want to give away much. They kiss and cuddle though so it has to say something, right?

She smiled at the answer and tries to think of another question to ask. "Why wouldn't you let me get you off this morning?" Louis wiggles around on purpose trying to get him to laugh or do something instead. She just wants to please him and make him want her even more.

Niall gently grips her hips. Even if he got hard he'd lock himself in his restroom. Well, Louis has a key now so he'd have to go elsewhere. "You're purposely doing that now."

He wants to be as honest as possible. The whole game he's strived to be truthful. "I wanted you to know I wasn't using you. I didn't kick you out because it was about you feeling good not me."

"I told you last night though that I'd help you out if you got hard. You've made me feel good, now it's my turn to make you feel good.” She wiggles against him as best as she can with his hip gripping at her waist. "Just let me make you feel good."

Niall moans quietly, so tempted to let her do it, but he doesn't. He can't bring himself to let it happen. "No. I don't want to. Maybe I want to wait." He shuts his eyes tightly resisting the urge to let her do it. "I talked to Liam. I just have to talk to Zayn now."

Louis stops moving and turns her head to look at him confusedly. “What do Liam and Zayn have to do with anything?” She pulls away slightly and turns herself to face him. "Is it weird that I’m actually happy that you tried to sleep with me at your birthday? If you hadn't, there's no telling where we'd be right now."

Niall chuckles nodding. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I almost kept going. I wish I knew the amazing girl I was about to meet." He kisses her jaw deciding how to answer her earlier question. "You've already asked two questions, no more for today."

Louis huffed. "Fine. No more questions. I just really want to know what you're planning."

She blushed and shuffled forward pressing them together and tangling their legs. "I'm not amazing. I'm just average."

Niall doesn't want to debate with her what he thought what average meant. "You'll find out soon enough. Tomorrow, if I can get something sorted." He kisses her ear and he can't help but drop off.

\------------

Zayn sits at a table against the wall sipping at her hot chocolate and picking at her slice of pound cake. She feels uncomfortable sitting here, waiting. She knows that Louis' shift starts in forty minutes and she just wishes that Niall would hurry up.

A tinkling of the bell above the door as it opened and she smiles when she sees who it is. "Hey."

Niall nods in acknowledgment. Something he would do if he were walking by an acquaintance. But Zayn's not an acquaintance; she's his ex. "Hey." He sits down across from her, hands messing with the napkin holder. Today the game would end. Not just for him and Louis though, for him and Zayn too.

An awkward silence took over and Zayn just wants to lean over and smack him to get him to start talking. "So Liam said that you wanted to talk. Go ahead. Louis' shift starts in thirty eight minutes and I'm sure you want me gone before she gets here." She sips gingerly at her drink and looks down at her treat suddenly feeling too sick to eat it.

Niall bites into his lip. He's been honest with Louis and he wants to be honest with Zayn. "It's really hard not to call you names and trust me I want to yell, but I came to bury the hatchet between us. I can't ask Louis out if I'm still bent out of shape because of you."

He wishes he had gotten a coffee or a muffin before he came to the table to confront Zayn. "Can I just ask why? Did I do something to deserve what happened freshman year? Because of that I'm fucking terrified of dating. I can't look at a girl without thinking she's a cheater."

Zayn hung her head. "It wasn't you, Niall. I was such a horrible person in freshman year. I slept around, I did drugs, and it was just a really hard time for me." She plays with her fingers absently. "I woke up every morning and most of the time I couldn't remember what had happened the night before. I would just find a guy and go for it.

"When I met you, I was already in too deep. I craved sex and drugs and you were a bright eyed boy who hadn't been touched." Her fingers tightened around her cup as she tried to think of that horrible day. "The day of the party was bad. I had no money to go get my fix, I had no food, and my usual guys were all busy... But you were there- you and those bright blue eyes."

She stops and stares down at the table. He didn't need to know her problems. They were the past and now she had someone who was able to help her when she needed the euphoric feeling all over again.

Despite what Niall's told himself about Zayn, what he's built up in his mind, he reaches across the table, lightly gripping her fingers. "I'm not here to make you feel bad. I was upset and jealous when I found out about you and Liam. I just wanted to know what made us so different. Why you could love him and not me. Yesterday Liam cleared that up and I invited him back to the frat. I want to clear the air between us."

He sighs squeezing her hand tighter. "So... We're okay? We can be in a room together without yelling and insulting each other?"

She smiles softly and turns her hand so their palms are touching. "I'm so happy you found Louis. She'll be good for you and you'll be good for her. Plus, now she'll finally shut up about how much she likes you."

Zayn looks up at the clock and sees that fifteen minutes have passed and she needs to get going. "I have to go, but thank you for clearing the air. And I'm sorry I hurt you. That was never my intention."

Niall embraces Zayn, kissing her on the lips. It’s gentle and has the bitter taste of cigarettes and it’s everything that he thought it would be. Kissing Louis was more though. "Sorry just thought for old time’s sake. I want us all to hang out together and laugh. Well I don't know about Harry and Nick. I've been told they broke up.”

"You're fine. I can tell by the look on your face it wasn't quite the right feeling was it?" Zayn rolls her eyes. "Yeah. Heard all about that one last night. Apparently, Nick and her have to have a similar talk. Honestly, I don't know what to think about them."

She huffs. "Now quit kissing me and worrying about Nick and Harry and go get your girl. She's getting out of Acting 421 right now."

Niall smiles waving her off. He buys a single toasted muffin hoping to catch up to her before she makes it too far. "Lou!" He calls seeing the brunette strolling across the courtyard. When he reaches her he hands her the paper bag. "Hey. Uh, I was thinking we could finish the game, you start."

Louis takes the bag and furrows her brows confusedly. "Oh, uh, okay." She has no clue what to ask him until she spots the flyer to the theatre seniors masquerade banquet. "Um, would you be my pretend date to the theatre banquet?"

Niall laces their fingers. "It doesn't have to be pretend." He's mentally freaking out, but he just needs to calm down. It's only Louis. "I guess I end the game then?"

Louis tries not to freak out when he says it's not pretend. She can see her acting classmates standing in the doorway to the building and stopping each other to try and see what was happening.

Theatre majors are such gossips.

She looks back and Niall and nods. "Yeah. I guess you do end the game. What's your question?"

Niall takes a deep breath trying not to be dissuaded by the crowd of people watching. The same people who consider his humiliating run to be both romantic and dramatic.

"When we started playing this wasn't my intention, to fall for you I mean." Niall takes her hand lacing their fingers together. "Louis, would you be my girlfriend?"

Louis just stares at him for a moment trying to take in what he just asked her. Niall Horan, the frat boy who doesn't do dating, is asking her to be his girlfriend. She realises she hasn't answered him and a huge smile breaks across her face. "Yes! Fuck, I thought it would never happen. Fuck, Niall, yes!"

She surges forward and presses their lips together and takes her free hand and grasps at the back of his neck, trying to bring him closer to her.

Niall almost trips over his own feet not having expected her to lunge at him. He moves his head back so he could talk to her. "I didn't think you'd be this excited." He chuckles under his breath.

"That's all I've wanted since you rejected sex with me. Of course I'm excited!" She laughs loudly still not quite sure if this was really happening. She slips her phone out of her pocket and pulls up an empty text and tells Perrie she's not coming in to work since she's sick.

"Come on. Let's go home. I want you to myself for a little while." She grabs his wrist and tugs him in the direction of the frat house.

"Okay, girlfriend." Niall loves how his stomach fluttered when he says it- happens every time he says it although he's only said it twice. "What do you want to do at the house?" He asks glancing at the beautiful girl.

Louis smiles shyly. "You'll just have to wait and see. It's a surprise."

She pushes him through the door of the house and waves to the boys lounging around the living room. "Hi, boys!" She directs Niall to start up the stairs. "Bye, boys!" She yells as she follows her boyfriend up the staircase.

Once in Niall's room she closes the door with her foot and grabs the front of his shirt to pull him into a rough kiss. Her other hand travels down to start palming at him through his jeans.

Niall's eyes began dilating, his fingers curling into the fabric of her (his) shirt. "Louis what are you doing?" He moans out burying his face into her shoulder.

"Exactly what I told you last night. I'm making you feel good." She pops the button of his jeans and deftly works the zipper open to slip her hand in between the rough material of denim and the softer cotton of his boxers. She continues rubbing at his length through the flimsy layer of material. She can practically feel him hardening under her touch and it sense a shock of pride through her.

Niall's body begins to tremble. He's used to having sex almost every night, but he hasn't been pleasured in a long while. He doesn't count the morning he rubbed one off on Louis considering he was unconscious.

"Babe, fuck. Fuck, are you sure? I won't leave, after all we're together now." He tries to be stern but his body is betraying him. His length grows until its straining both against his underwear and his pants.

"That's why I'm doing this. I know you won't run. I trust you." She drops to her knees and tugs at the jeans and boxers until they're both down far enough, his cock slapping against stomach. She licks slowly at her lips as she slowly takes him in her hand and makes sure he's at full hardness. "Fuck, Ni. You're bigger than I thought."

Niall's head falls back eyes fluttering shut, breathing increased. He cards his shaky fingers through her hair. "Mm thanks. Sure your hand isn't too small?" All he expects is a handjob, nothing more. He refuses to push her further than she's comfortable with.

She looks up at him and smiles at the pleasured look he's wearing. "It's not my hand that needs it needs to fit." She leans forward and licks at the head slowly, wanting to make this as enjoyable as she can for him. She laps at his slit and lets her hands grasp at the base of him.

He's right though. Her hand can't close around him and the thought turns her on more than she thought possible.

Niall's jaw drops moaning louder. "Fuck. Fucking hell." He can't talk past the string of profanities. If Louis was insinuating what he was hoping she was he wouldn't last long.

Louis took the head of Niall's cock in her mouth and sucked lightly. She kept her eyes up to see his face as she slowly took more of his length into her mouth. She took about half of him in her mouth before he hit the back of her throat and had to pull off coughing a bit.

Niall yanks at her hair but not hard enough to hurt her. He tries breathing normally but he can't, he's moaning too much. "Fuck. Such a pretty mouth. So wet and warm, like when I fingered you in the shower."

He huffs loudly, panting. All the heat in his body is pooling south, his erection radiating heat.

She moaned at the memory of his fingers inside of her. She traced her tongue along the vein on the underside of his cock.

Her hands stroked at what she couldn't fit in her mouth. She moaned as he pulled at her hair. She pulled off and took a few much needed breaths as she continued to jack him off with her hand.

Niall's stomach tightens with each shot of pleasure coursing through her. "Fuck beautiful. So beautiful, taking my cock like a good girl." He can't hold it in much longer. He explodes coming all over the palm of her hand. "Louis! Fuckfuckfuck!"

Louis continues to stroke him through his orgasm. She licked at the cum on her hand and still leaking from his tip. Pulling back, she looks back up at him and smiles. She cleans her hand entirely by licking the salty liquid from her skin before moving to tuck the blond back into his pants.

Niall sighs in satisfaction pulling his pants up and redoing them. "Jesus, Lou, should have just asked you out sooner." He lets her hair go helping her to her feet. He pecks her lightly arms wrapping around her slim figure.

Louis laughs lightly and yawns. "Oh, please. I'm not that good. I'm sure you've had better." Her hands massage at her jaw which is now sore and moves over to the bed and lie down. "Come lay with me? I need a nap after that."

Niall lies down with her, thumb stroking over the sensitive skin on her face. "No one could ever be better than you."

He laces their fingers together and they sort of fit like puzzle pieces. Louis' what he's been looking for, and all he needs is her hand in his.

\------Eight Months Later------

Louis looked around at her classmates and smiled brightly. It was graduation day and as she sat there in her black robes staring up at the stage, she had never been more proud in her life.

Niall looked amazing in his graduation robe and his bright smile beaming from the stage where he sat next to the President of the University. She was towards the back of the class since her last name began with a 'T', but she could see her boyfriend clearly.

Harry was a few rows in front of her and she could see the curls bouncing as she shifted in her seat. Her best friend was probably anxious to get out of the ceremony and introduce Nick to her family.

Louis smiled at the thought of her boyfriend's best mate. Nick had talked to them about proposing to Harry after graduation, but Niall had convinced him to meet the Styles' family first and ask permission.

Everything was coming together and Louis couldn't be happier with where her life was going. She had gotten the role of Mimi in that spring's production of RENT at the college and someone had recorded her solo and uploaded it to YouTube. It had gone viral and she now had a job offer to reprise the very same role in the London Theatre circuit.

She had no clue what Niall was doing. The boy had had so many offers and when they talked about it last, he hadn't decided. Speaking of Niall, he was getting up to deliver his speech and Louis was in awe of him the second he opened his mouth.

Niall's beyond nervous. All eyes are on him. There's at least fifteen hundred people attending. He clears his throat pulling the collar of his robe away from his neck. "Hello my name's Niall Horan. I'm class Valedictorian and Vice president of Sigma Nu. I know most of you are shocked a fraternity member is smart enough to be picked, you're probably more shocked that we're literate."

There's a laugh rumbling through the crowd and he feels himself loosen up.

"I learned a lot from college. We don't just learn from a textbook or in the classroom. We gain life skills and knowledge from the people we surround ourselves with."

Louis listens in rapt attention. Niall hadn't let her listen to his speech and she was worried. She couldn't help him if he got stuck, but she knew he would be fine. She wanted him to know where she was in the crowd so she slipped her cap off and began fanning herself with it hoping the break in the hats would give him a clue as to where she was.

Niall licks his lips smiling widely. He feels hot despite the breeze. He remembers two nights ago. Louis was there and it was their first time together. He holds onto that memory to get him through this. "I surrounded myself with guys, most of them aren't reliable. Couldn't help you with homework and would rather play the Xbox then help you out with girl troubles. But they're my family away from my family."

Niall offers another smile taking breaks to catch his breath. "We all had our own journey, our own path. My path was the way of science when my brother died of cancer when I was six." He isn't sure whether people were supposed to talk about their own lives during speeches but he decided to do it, to make it more personal he supposes.

"Freshman year I made many mistakes. While I was cheated on I no longer regret giving my heart to her. That had also taught me many life lessons."

Louis can see Zayn duck her head and Louis wonders if it's from embarrassment in being remembered in such a way or if it's happiness that the boy she broke is now healing and being a better person. She turns and catches Harry's eye as the green eyed girl smiles widely and winks in Louis' direction. She laughs breathlessly and looks back up her boyfriend.

"She taught me that you can't hold onto the past. Holding onto something that's already left is impossible. She's showed me that if you love someone you have to move on sometimes." He didn't come up to berate Zayn. They had been getting along.

"I met my current girlfriend, Louis. She taught me how to live not in the moment, but for the moment. She showed me that love is for a guy like me. I used to hurt people before they could hurt me but now I've learned that trust isn't about giving consent for others to hurt you, but it’s a door to leave yourself open to it.”

He sighs managing to find Louis in the crowd. "That's the advice I want to pass onto all of you braving the world. Don't let minor indiscretions hold you back, but let them guide you." He's not looking at anyone but her. "We all travel and learn. Look straightforward and hope for the future. I can tell you I'm looking straight and I'd say my future is pretty bright."

He says a thank you hurrying off the stage. He heads directly to his girlfriend cupping her jaw and kissing her with the whole crowd watching.

Louis pulls him against her and holds him tightly. She's crying, but she's just so damn happy that Niall picked her, that she could even teach him something because their relationship was always him teaching her stuff. "I love you. I love you so much." Louis pulls back and stares into Niall's eyes and fell in love all over again.

Niall kisses her again ignoring the round of applause. "I love you more."

He digs through his pocket handing her a piece of paper. "I got offered a job at a biochemistry lab in London. I remembered a certain person planning to move to London to follow her dream. Well I can't just let her go can I?"

Louis stares down at the paper clutched tightly in her hand. He was going with her. He was staying in London with her. "Just so you know an actor's pay is minuscule so I might have to pay you rent in other ways if that's okay."

She smiles brightly and kisses him again. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have looked for apartments with two bedrooms instead of one."

Niall raises his eyebrows. "We've shared my bed for the past eight months. Even if we had two bedrooms we'd just end up in the same bed." He kisses her again. "The lab offers thirty dollars an hour, I could so pay rent if you wanna handle the food. I planned everything out."

Louis wipes the tears from her eyes and she's sure her makeup is shot. Niall has her bombshell lipstick smeared all over his mouth and she laughs and tries to wipe it off.

"You're perfect. You know that?" She lays her head against his chest. "There's no more surprises right? You're not going to like unzip your robe and have a puppy under there, right?"

Niall chuckles. "If we go home I could unzip my robe and find something else under there." He has Louis stand up taking her seat before pulling her onto his lap.

Louis snuggles into his lap and waits for the procession of names to get her diploma. The entire ceremony passes and soon enough they were standing with their families holding their diploma covers.

Niall kisses Louis. "Congrats, baby. Can um..." He hesitates in his question not sure if she would take it well. He shakes his head biting into his lip. "Never mind."

Louis hugs Phoenix and Daniel tightly before wrapping an arm around Niall's waist. "What do you need, Ni?" She smiled happily up at him. She was so excited to see her brothers and her mum. She had sent her dad an invitation, but she had yet to see him.

"Oh, I was going to ask if I could meet your parents and you could meet mine, but I don't want to pressure you into it." He takes a step back, but links their pinkies together.

"Hi." He waves to the young boys unsure of what to do.

Phoenix and Daniel jump and attach themselves to his legs. "We're twins!" They said in unison.

Niall chuckles, looking to the two boys clinging to him. "Twins? I couldn't tell."

"Twins? Where are you?"

Louis smiles, "Over here, Charles!" She waves her brother over and tackles him. "I want you to meet someone. Charlie, this is my boyfriend Niall. Niall, this is my oldest brother Charles."

Niall bites into his lip offering his hand. If Charles was paying attention to his speech he could probably make the connection that he was referring to his sister.

Charles looks down at the blond and frowns. "You're rather scrawny. I'm guessing you didn't do any sports." He held his hand out, "but if Louis seems something in you then I guess you're okay."

Niall's not sure if he should be offended by that or not. He looks at his body. "Maybe I should hit a gym." He looks to Louis. She could so get another guy with actual muscles and abs.

Johanna runs forward and tackles her daughter. "I'm so proud of you, baby! You're a college graduate and you're going to be on stage! I'm so worried about you being in London all by yourself."

The blond turns to Johanna offering his hand. "It’s nice to meet you ma'am. I'm Niall.'

Johanna turns and smiles widely. "I've heard so much about you! Louis talks about you all the time." She pulls him in for a hug.

"Now, Johanna, I know you aren't scaring the poor boy before I get to interrogate him."

Louis turns towards the voice and nearly bursts into tears as saw the owner. "Daddy!"

Niall hugs her back. "Even if Louis didn't talk about me I was hoping my speech said enough."

He can feel his own heart swell with happiness. He looks around for his own parents, but they weren't there. He already knew his mum probably wouldn't show, but he at least wanted his dad. He wouldn't lie, it hurt seeing everyone with their families and he was alone.

Louis looks around at her family (well, everyone minus Franklin- he stayed home for a test in school) and she was so excited to see every important person in her life. She looks over at Niall and noticed him looking around. "Um, not that I'm not excited to see you all, but I need to go back to my room and redo my makeup. I'll meet you at dinner in an hour?"

Johanna nods and rounds the twins up while Mark and Charles followed behind.

She turned to look at Niall. "Hey. You okay?"

Niall swallows thickly. "They didn't show. They actually didn't show." Angry tears are welling up and he's trying to fight it but he can't. They came rolling down his cheeks before he can register what's happening. "I graduated. I got a diploma, I was class speaker. I sent them an invitation. Am I not good enough? Did I do something?" He hastily wipes at his eyes.

Louis wipes at the tears he misses and frowns. "I'm sure they wanted to be here, Ni. Something probably just came up." She laced their fingers together and pulled him from the auditorium hall. "Hey. Come on, let's go back to the room and take a quick nap before I have to leave for dinner with my family."

She pulls them towards the door before stopping. "Why don't you come to dinner with us? I'd love for you to get to know my family better- especially my dad. You never know he's going to be around."

Niall looks to the ground still saddened. "I don't want to intrude. I should go to the gym. I'm seriously scrawny you know." He bites into his lip waving to Nick and Liam. "You don't really want me around your family. You don't usually introduce guys to your family unless you're serious about them."

"I'm serious about you. I never introduced Matt or talked about him to my mother. Niall, we're moving to London together. I think that's pretty serious." She took his cap off his head and ran her fingers through his hair. "Besides, you realise when I said nap I meant that I was going to let you fuck me. We only have two more days until we have to move out and I want you fuck me as many times as possible on that bed."

Niall's stomach knots up. "Let's go. Now. You look fucking amazing in that robe babe."

They're so close to the frat. He throws Louis over his shoulder jogging up the staircase to his room once he's entered the house.

"I love you, Lou. Let me show you how much I do." He locks his bedroom door behind them. He's so in love, it's not even funny.

\------------

Louis lies next to Niall and kisses at his shoulder. "So, that's happening again when we get back from dinner." She laughs lightly before sitting up and clutching at the sheets around her. She runs a hand through her hair and looks over at the clock.

"Shit! We were supposed to meet my family fifteen minutes ago. Get up!" She throws the thin material from her body and looks around for her underwear only to groan when she remembered that Niall had ripped them while trying to get them off.

She slipped her bra and dress back on and ran to the bathroom to fix her make up. The tea dress didn't quite cover the new bruises at her collarbone, but she didn't have time to worry about them.

Tying a white ribbon in her hair and doing a quick brush of the short brown tresses and then her teeth, she slipped her sparkly silver flats on and grabbed the bright red lipstick. She was about to reapply when she called out. "Are you moving? Let's go!"

Niall stands up toes still curled from his orgasm. He absently slips his briefs on grabbing his clothes from earlier and tugging them on. "I'm moving, babe, I'm moving."

He's slow to dress, but he finishes before Louis. He enters the bathroom wrapping his arms around Louis, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You almost ready? You look beautiful, baby. Stunning. Can't wait to come back and fuck you again."

Louis smiles as she finishes with her lipstick. "Wanna know what's even better? You ripped my only pair of white underwear so now I have to sit through dinner without anything between the silky fabric of the dress and my clit. Thanks for that."

She turns and lightly pecks his cheek so as not to ruin her makeup and grabs her phone, sending a text to Charles to tell them that they got caught up talking and would be there soon. She grabs his hand and pulls him towards the door. "Come on. Before they question why we're really late."

"What a shame. At least it'll make it easier to come back and fuck you tonight." Niall kisses her cheek letting her pull him towards the door. It’s not like he knew where they were going anyways.

"That wouldn't be a great conversation. 'Sorry we're late I was balls deep in your daughter, so how are you?’” He chuckles loudly dropping her hand to slip an arm around her waist.

"Oh, god. I'm sure my dad would die of an aneurism or something. Charles would probably try to kick your ass, but he can't throw a lunch to save his life." She leads them out the house and tugs him away from the car since the restaurant was just down the street from the frat.

They were there in five minutes and Louis stopped Niall just outside the doors. "If they ask, we got caught saying goodbye to professors and friends."

Niall taps his chin in mock thought. "I like my answer better." He pulls her inside the restaurant to see that same host who had first hit on Louis. "Oh hell no." He mutters under his breath.

The host perks up as he sees the girl from eight months ago. "Hey! Wow, you look great. That dress looks fantastic on you."

Louis, who’s still not all that used to compliments from anyone other than Niall, blushes. "Thanks. We're actually here to meet my family."

"Oh yeah! They said you'd here soon. Um, let me show you to your table then." His eyes flick down to her bright red lips before he leads them into the dining room.

He places his hand on Louis' lower back and points with the other and gets close to whisper in her ear. "Back table to the left. And if he's still not your date, I'd love to show you a good time."

Niall looks to the ground hands in his pockets. Even if he forgave Zayn, he's still insecure about Louis cheating on him. He was scrawny like Charles pointed out and this kid had muscles. He wonders if he hadn't come what Louis would have done. He hopes she'd be faithful to him. "Um, can you remove your hand?"

The host turns and scoffs. "Well you weren't making a move so someone had to."

Louis looks at the host weirdly. "Please don't talk my boyfriend that way. In fact, don't ever talk to any patron that way. And he's right. I'd like you to remove your hand or I can have you fired for sexual harassment."

The boy removes his hand and steps away. "All you had to do was say no. It's whatever. Wouldn't want a girl who sleeps around anyway."

He leaves them to head back to the podium and Louis grabs Niall's hand. "Hey. You okay? Come on. I can see my family from here."

Niall smiles wanly shaking his head. "Nothing. Just don't like guys insinuating to have sex with my girlfriend is all."

He smiles when he sees Louis' family pulling out her chair, taking the seat next to her. "Hey again. Sorry we were late, my fraternity brothers kept crying."

Johanna, who is nestled in between the twins and currently holding them back from attacking each other, smiles warmly. "It's completely fine, darling. I'm glad you had people to fall back on when you had a problem. That's why I desperately tried to get Louis to join a sorority."

Mark chuckled. "Our little girl? In a sorority? She's never exactly gotten along with other girls. Remember? She nearly ripped Hannah's hair out when the girl told Stan he was beneath her." He took a sip from his wine.

Louis chuckles nervously as her father told stories. "Oh great, family sharing. Just what I was hoping to avoid."

Niall grins, still not comfortable enough with wrapping his arm around her in front of her family. "I'd love to hear stories about you."

Mark chuckles nodding. "There are so many to tell."

Charles rolls his eyes. "No stories, Mark. I want to hear about Lou's plans for London. My sister is going to be famous!"

Louis shot him an appreciative glance. "I mean, there's not much to tell. The show has already begun rehearsing and I need to be in London by next Thursday so I'm there to learn my dance routine."

She shrugs. "I'm actually a little worried about this role. I mean, I've played it before, but our director here downplayed the stripper part. This new director wants me to learn how to pole dance for my solo number."

Niall begins to choke on air while Mark looks at her incredulously. "Pole dancing?!" They exclaim simultaneously.

Niall's face heats up. "That's a little... Uh, extreme don't you think."

Mark shakes his head. "That's not an acting career. Might as well work at Hooters."

Louis blushes and looks down at her menu. "I mean, the role is an exotic dancer. Sure I wore a pair of bike shorts and a sports bra in college, but this is London Theatre- it's nothing like Hooters!"

She fiddles her fingers before pulling out her phone and pulling up her photos. "He sent me pictures of the costume choices. They're pretty revealing, but he said we'd fix them to fit my body so there was less of a chance of a wardrobe malfunction."

She hands her phone over to Niall so he could see.

Charles sneaks a glance from where he's seated and his eyes widen. "Louis, that's straight up lingerie. You can't actually wear that on stage."

Niall licks his lips. That's what they were making her wear? As if he was insecure about her cheating before. He looks at his lap quietly. "That's a lot of skin. There's a lot of guys watching. Um... That's a lot of temptation in London."

Mark snatches the phone from Niall, spluttering. "Louis Whitney Tomlinson, what is this? Did the producers get this from an X-rated shop?"

Charles looks over at his sister and frowns. "You told them no, right?"

Louis bit her lip. "It's my big break. I could win an award for this. My career could be launched because of this role. Why can't you guys just see that?"

She snatches her phone from her dad and turns to look at Niall. "I can't believe you're not supporting me in this. You're my boyfriend; you're supposed to support me when I make a decision."

Niall feels stuck. "I do support you but you're parading around in leather and fishnet. God you're going to cheat on me like Zayn. That's what's going to happen!"

He gets to his feet, stalking off towards the restroom.

Mark scoffs. "Your big break? Being a whore and promenading around a stage? Like a porn star?"

Louis watches as Niall leaves and wants to go after him, but her father's comment stops her. "Porn stars don't get a stage. They get a bed. But I guess your new wife would know all about that."

She throws her napkin on the table and leaves to find Niall and heads to the bathroom to check her make up since it's not waterproof.

"Well that could have gone better." Charles sighs and sits back.

The twins are too busy colouring to even notice their sister's absence, but Johanna is shaking her head. "Why can't you just be happy for her, Mark?"

Mark looks at Jay incredulously. "Did you see the outfit? What kind of mother would let her daughter wear that with an audience full of grown men?"

Jay sighed. "I already know what they looked like. Louis called me the day she got the pictures and we talked about it. She said she finally feels comfortable enough with her body to do something like this. She knows I'm not happy with the choice, but I will support her no matter what."

She looks around to make sure her daughter and boyfriend aren't around. "Besides, she asked the director if she could keep the costumes to surprise Niall. I think there's a high possibility that there might be wedding bells within the year."

Marks face turns red. "Surprise Niall? With these whore clothes? What's she planning to do?"

He knows the answer, but he doesn't want to think about his baby girl getting intimate with anyone. "We came for dinner, I want you to fix this Jay since I'm not allowed in the women's restroom."

"There's nothing to fix, but I'll talk to her. You have to remember that you walked out of her life eight years ago, right when she was becoming a woman. It's her body and you can't control her or her decisions." Johanna sighs and pushes her chair out. She gets up from her chair and heads to the women's room hoping to catch her daughter alone.

\------------

Niall's leaning against the counter splashing water across his face. He can't believe he acted like that in front of Louis' family. He finally leaves coming back to the table. He stops when he sees Louis and her mum missing. Well this was going to be awkward.

"Sorry for leaving. I needed a moment." Niall apologizes sitting back in his previous seat.

Mark looks at him and smiles tightly. "Niall... What are your exact intentions with my daughter?"

Charles looked up from the table, curious as well. So far, Niall wasn't too bad, but he wasn't completely convinced yet that he was for Louis.

Niall hasn't even gotten his food and he's already being questioned. "Well, sir, I love your daughter, a lot." He's not sure what to say. He doesn't want to say the wrong thing. "I want this to be it. I'm certainly not ready to propose, but when the time comes I'd like to get on one knee for Louis... With your permission of course."

He's not sure if he should tell the man he was moving in with his daughter.

Mark sits back in his chair and thinks about the answer for a minute or two. He honestly wants his baby girl safe and wearing lingerie and swinging around a pole didn't seem safe to him. "I assume you're going to London as well, unless you two are doing the whole long distance thing. If you are going to London I need you to do something for me. I need you to keep my princess safe."

Niall nods licking over his chapped lips. "Actually sir. My dream job was located in America and they offered me a job. I turned it down to go work in London to move in with Louis. I'll be making a lot of money so I can definitely support her." He never told Louis that he turned his dream job for her, but he's in love and doesn't want his motives questioned.

"Keeping her safe doesn't just mean supporting her. It means that I don't want any of this new generation 'sex before marriage' going on. My baby went all through high school and now college without sleeping with a guy and it's going to stay that way until she's married."

Mark sipped at his wine and looked over at Louis. "My little girl wasn't born so she can give you sex whenever you want it. She was born with a talent and she doesn't need men bringing her down."

Charles nods, but tries to keep the twins busy so they didn't hear any of the conversation.

"Now, Johanna is trying to talk her out of lingerie and pole dancing, but if she can't, it's your responsibility to make her see reason."

Niall kind of wants to laugh, but doesn't. Louis' had sex with two guys before him. At least he wasn't asking Niall about his sex life. "I don't expect your daughter to give me sex. I'm genuinely in love with her. I also happen to have a major in biochemical engineering. I can both support her and protect her."

He runs a hand through his hair. "This is Louis' dream to be in theater. If she really wants to do it then I'll be there to support her in another way."

Mark sighed. "Just promise me she won't get hurt because of this if she ends up going through with this. You'll be there every night at her show to make sure no one gets handsy."

Niall nods. He wouldn't want anyone to get handsy with his girlfriend anyways.

He looks up to see Johanna coming back. "How'd it go?"

The woman sighs. "She said fuck you, it's my body and I finally like it, and go to hell."

Charles looks up to see his sister talking with one of the employees. "Look alive. The icewoman cometh."

When Louis' approaches the blond goes silent, embarrassed about his outburst. He doesn't want her to be mad at him.

"I told the waiter to close my chair. I'm not feeling too well so I'm going to head back to my dorm a little early." She leans down and gives the twins huge hugs and kisses and hugs Charles briefly.

Johanna takes her into her arms and the two have a small cry fest. Louis says she'll be awake around nine thirty tomorrow so they can start moving her out of her dorm.

She turns to her father, unsure of where they stood. "Daddy..."

Mark sighs pulling the girl into his chest. "I love you, boo bear. That boyfriend of yours better take care of you."

Niall glances around wide eyed. "Am I coming with you? I mean I like your family, but it'd be weird."

Johanna waves him away. "Go take care of the girl. I'm sure you all have a long day tomorrow. I mean, you've spent all day with us. You have to have energy for your parents tomorrow, right?"

Louis tenses in her father's arms. She doesn't want to whirl around and make it obvious that her mum has brought up a sensitive subject, but she wants to comfort Niall if he needs it- and judging by his reaction earlier, he'll need it.

Mark notices her body go rigid. "Are you okay?"

Niall's own muscles go taut. He closes his eyes to clear his head. "Um... My parents didn't come."

Charles frowns. "What? Why not? You were valedictorian and class speaker! Even if you hadn't of been those, you still graduated college."

Johanna looks down as if she's responsible for them not making it. "I'm sorry, Niall. Do you need help moving your dorm as well then? We can extend our trip a day or two if we need to."

Niall chuckles breathlessly. It’s not a happy one though. "That's what I said on the invitation. This isn't the first time. They didn't come to my high school graduation either."

Mark kisses Louis' forehead softly. He didn't want to get involved considering he hadn't been there for his daughter.

"I'm sure they just couldn't make it, darling. Perhaps it was a funds type of problem." Johanna tried comforting the blond.

Louis pulls back from her father's arms and clears her throat. "I'm going to go. Are you coming with me, Ni?" She doesn't want to be near the tense awkward atmosphere any longer than she had to.

Niall stands up grabbing Louis' hand. "It was nice to meet all of you really. I hope we'll be able to sit down and have a proper meal." He needs to get back to his dorm. He likes Louis' family but after the day he's had, sleeping didn't sound half bad.

Louis bids her family a final goodnight and leads them from the restaurant. "I'm sorry tonight was such a wreck. I should have told you about what my director wanted to do."

She grabs his hand and laces their fingers together. "I just wanted to come home with all these great outfits and surprise you in them. And I really just wanted to surprise you opening night when I have a pole dancing routine."

Niall stops walking, tugging her into his chest arms winding tightly around her. "No baby. Listen to me." His hands move from her sides to cup both sides of her face. "I'm going to support you no matter what. As long as I'm the only one who gets to undress you afterwards."

Louis smiles lightly and presses their lips together. "Only you and my quick change artist."

She giggles and starts pulling him down the sidewalk again. "Remember what we did before dinner? Yeah, that's happening as soon as we get back. Silky dress with no underwear? Not a good idea."

Niall growls in her ear. She was trying to kill him. "You can't even say the word. We're going to go home and fuck." He watches the street around him making sure to stay alert. It was dark after all.

Louis blushed slightly. "I said it in the auditorium hall. Twice! I feel weird saying it. It just doesn't sound right coming from me." She might pick up their pace a little though. "I love when you say it though. I love when you talk dirty to me. Sometimes, I wonder if I can come just from your voice."

"Should try that sometime. Love to see you spread out on the mattress while I'm talking filthy things to you in your ear." Niall whispers nipping and licking at her earlobe. "Wanna fuck you hard, running my tongue across your clit while my fingers rub between your folds."

Louis whimpers and she stops walking, frozen to the spot by his words. "Niall..."

If there weren't cameras everywhere, she might be happy to have Niall fuck her right there on the streets, but she can see the frat house from here and she can see a silhouette in Nick's window and she can tell by the hair that it's Harry. She really doesn't want anyone to know the power Niall has over with a few simple words.

Niall notices she stops walking. "I'm sorry, baby." He bends his knees throwing Louis over his shoulder, hand coming up to slap and grope her ass. "Almost there."

He makes it on campus. There's a graduation party going on in the frat. He just ignores it marching straight up to his room and slamming the door.

Louis is kicking off her shoes and trying to unzip her dress the second they're alone. It's hard to do when her clit is pressed against her dress and the shoulder movement beneath her rubs it just the right way.

"Fuck, Ni." She desperate for his touch- even if it's a harsh slap. She just needs to be put back on the ground so she can get undressed as spread herself out for him like he likes.

Niall moves her hands away rucking up her dress until it bunches around her stomach. "Mm no underwear and you're wet." He rubs at her perineum, fingers probing her entrance. Niall sinks his teeth into her neck licking over the skin.

Louis tosses her head back giving him more room to bite at. She's appalled at the noises that tumble from her lips, but it's only been a few hours and she's still pretty stretched.

His fingers aren't where they need to be and it's slowly killing her. She's positive he's going to pull a trick and not actually get her off. He knows she won't touch herself unless he specifically says so either, so he holds all the cards when it comes to her pleasure.

Niall sinks his index finger into her just to give her a little pleasure. “Want you to finger yourself with me, baby. Come on.”

Louis breath catches in her throat and she nods shakily as she sucks her middle finger into her mouth and coats it with her spit. Once she's satisfied, she trails her hand down the length of the body till it's resting just above where he wants it.

She looks up at him as she slips her finger in beside his. The angle is weird and she's not real how long she can do this before her wrist hurts, but the bone in her wrist keeps catching against her clit and she whimpers at the feeling.

Niall groans kissing the side of her face, his hard on pressing into the small of her back. "Fuck, Lou, so gorgeous." He starts pumping his finger again, the tip of his angled to rub at her velvety inner walls.

Louis clenches around their fingers trying to stave off her orgasm, but she's not sure how much longer she can last. She moves her finger opposite him and can feel her hand getting coated in her own fluids as gravity pulls the liquid down her finger.

"Niall," she panting and her hair is a sweaty mess already, "not gonna last much longer. Please!"

Niall pulls his fingers out helping Louis lie back. "Shhh, beautiful. Just hold on a little longer yeah?"

He manages to get the caught zipper to pull down with snagging or tearing the dress. He throws it on the floor while working to get his jeans and briefs off.

She spreads her legs wide and shows herself off to him. Her finger is still inside her never having been told to stop. She's so open and she feels vulnerable, but she knows Niall- trusts him.

 

She watches him fumble with his own clothing and moans loudly when he finally gets himself free. She loves the feeling of him filling her up and she can't believe she waited eight months for this pleasure.

Niall tosses his clothes to the side. He moans at the sight of her pulling her finger from her, sucking the juices off. "So good." He drops her hand while his own rifles through his nightstand drawer for a condom.

Louis grabs at his wrist and looks up at him. "You're clean, I'm clean, I just finished my cycle so we're safe. No condom?" She tries to say it like it's not a huge deal, but she knows that even suggesting it is monumental. She just hopes she doesn't ruin the mood with her question.

Niall stops looking back to the girl. "Well what if you got pregnant? I mean what would you do?" He's still very much in the mood to fuck her, but he's waiting for her answer.

Louis thinks about it. She'd definitely have to give up her role in the show- no one wants to see a pregnant girl in lingerie and swinging around a pole. She'd have to get a menial job, but she knows that if she's meant to get pregnant then that's what'll be.

"It's a risk, but if I get pregnant you won't have to worry about me being on a pole or flashing an audience my goods." She takes a deep breath. "We'll be fine, okay? I don't want a condom."

Niall kisses her on the lips. "I just want you to know that if you did get pregnant I'd be there for you." He cards his fingers through her hair, slowly pushing in.

Louis nearly came from just feeling of him and not just latex. It was different and Louis was sure she'd never want him to use a condom ever again if this is what it felt like.

"Shit, Niall," she groaned, shuddery and breathless. She shifted so her ankles were hooked around the back of his thighs and her hands raked down his back which was still covered in the button down he had worn to dinner.

Niall grabs her legs throwing them over his shoulders. "Shit, you feel so amazing." He grips her hips pulling out only to push back in, the warm and wet climate surrounding his pulsating cock.

She’s a mess of moans and pleas and she's not quite sure if she going to last. This new angle is perfect and she's grasping at his sheets (technically they're hers, she did buy them after all).

She realises somewhere in the middle of everything that this was going to be her life now. Wake up to a wonderful boyfriend every day, go to her dream job and become a star, come home late and tell her boyfriend all about the crazy things her cast mates did, eat dinner, and go to bed with her boyfriend. Her life in London was going to be perfect.

It's all of that and the feeling of Niall catching her just right every time with his cock that sends her over the edge. "Fuck, Niall!"

She knows he's not there yet and she should be embarrassed about how quickly she finished, but she's happy and unbelievably excited. "Just fuck me through it, Ni. Make me cum again."

Niall groans humming a response. He's not holding back keeping a fast tempo.

"Fuck ,I love you." He whispers under his breath her come slicking him up and making it easier to create the friction. His stomach is building up and up and up until he's exploding inside of her, their come mixing together.

Louis shudders as she feels him come and she goes pliant under him and links their fingers together. "I love you so much."

She leans up and presses her lips against his and smiling softly. "Did you want to go down to the party? It's fine if you do. I mean, I need to stay here and get some sleep. I need to be back in my dorm early tomorrow so I can be there when my family gets there to move me out."

Niall pulls out lying next to her. He covers her up with his blanket wrapping a protective arm around her waist. "I could go." He kisses her cheek burying his nose into her neck. "But I'd rather be here with you."

Louis snuggles into his side. "I love you so much, Niall. Tomorrow my family is taking my stuff to a storage locker, but I want to stay back with you to pack up and find an apartment."

She yawns and rests her head against his chest. "I need to be settled into the city in a week."

"We can do it. Don't worry about all that, beautiful." Niall assures running his fingertips along her arm. “I’m tired." He mumbles against her skin, pecking tenderly.

"There's just so much to worry about." She spoke into his chest and she felt her eyes begin to droop. "We'll talk about it tomorrow night." She whispered as she fell asleep in his arms.

Niall smiles down at her sleeping figure. She doesn't look so beautiful and vulnerable as she does now. "Love you."

He knows he's talking to air but she's there and that's all that matters. He's never felt more at home then he does now.

\------Six Months Later------

Niall's sitting in the third row of the theater, looking like the stereotypical scientist. He's wearing a sterile white lab coat and black slacks. Louis told him she liked to brag to her friends that she was dating a scientist so he'd thought he'd surprise her. He wasn't supposed to be there, having originally been told he'd have to work late but at last minute he was cleared to leave, not telling Louis of course.

It’s opening night after six months of the pair living in London. They decided on a one bedroom apartment to save money and Niall likes sleeping with Louis (in more ways than one.)

Everything was great between them. They've gone to Doncaster a lot, but they've never gone to Ireland. Niall doesn't really speak to his parents anymore.

The lights dim and the show would starts.

\------------

The curtain goes up and Louis can feel the single spotlight shining down on her and her nerves are on edge. She looks down at the floor like she's directed to and she smiles lightly and the costume choice.

She had begged the director to not put her anything revealing during the opening number and he sort of complied. A simple pair of sky blue skinny jeans and black sports bra with a fishnet top was her outfit and the black knee-high boots completed the look.

She sang her heart out watching the back wall and, using every piece of information she had learned from college and working, she belted the ending note they had given to her since the girl who was supposed to sing it couldn't quite hit it.

The curtain dropped and she ran to get changed into her next outfit.

\------------

Niall's the first to start clapping. Despite the fact that half the audience wolf whistled when they saw Louis' wardrobe and Niall almost went hard knowing he'd take her home, she did amazingly.

The curtains fall, Niall going up the steps located on the side of the stage prepared to find his girlfriend- and with the Tomlinson's permission, fiancé within the month.

"Excuse me, sir. No one except family and crew are allowed back there." A burly man in a black t shirt said as he waved another man with a pass through. "Alright! Set up the apartment in scene two! Let's go! We don't leave till it's done!" The man barked and turned his back to Niall.

Niall taps his shoulder waiting for him to turn back. "Excuse me sir, I'm dating the lead role." He stands on his toes trying to see if he could spot Louis.

The man laughed. "You're dating Robert Rubelberg? Okay. Let me check the list of approved people for tonight's show." He pulls out a PDA from his pocket and opened the guest list. "Name?"

Niall face burned. That's not what he meant. "No I'm dating Mimi, Louis Tomlinson?" He feels like an idiot. "It's Niall Horan."

The guy nods. "Louis has a banging body and she's got a voice. I'll be surprised if she doesn't go on to bigger and better shows."

He typed the name in on the device and ran a search. He frowned and shook his head. "You're not on tonight's guest list. Sorry, but you're going to have to wait out by the stage doors like everyone else."

A loud bang caught the man's attention. "Paul! Be careful with that!" He took off to help another set hand move a piece into place.

Niall wants to reprimand him for having to compliment Louis' body like everyone else had too. He doesn't though, instead slipping inside. He's walking around the stage, hands in his lab coat pockets. He spots Louis from behind, standing and chatting with a group of girls.

He moans inaudibly. She was still in that black lingerie. He loops his arms around her waist.

"Hey." He speaks close to her ear interrupting the conversation among the group.

Louis freezes when she first feels the arms around her before the voice reaches her ears and she breaks into a smile. "Niall!" She turns in his arms and hugs him tightly. "I didn't know you were coming tonight! I would have put you on the list. How did you get back here?"

She bids the girls goodbye and pulls him down the hall to her dressing room.

Niall chuckles, lacing their fingers together. "Had to sneak back here. I didn't think I could come but I was let off early." He grabs at his coat pulling on it. "Since you tell your friends I'm a scientist I thought I'd wear this."

Louis giggles and pulls at his coat and presses their lips together. "You look amazing."

She steps back and moves to the mirror to try and remove the makeup and jewellery. "How did I do tonight? I thought I was flat in my solo and I ran out of breath a few times towards the end, but it wasn't too bad was it?"

Niall slots their lips together, his hands gripping her arms tightly. "You did bloody fantastic. You're so good at singing. Makes me wonder what other things your mouth can do." He bites into his lip, raising his eyebrows as seductively as possible. "Or we could cuddle and watch a movie."

Louis gives him a look. "I'm standing here in a basically see through stripper outfit and you want to watch a movie?" She pushes him onto a chair in her dressing room and throwing one fishnet and heeled leg over his legs to straddle him. She rolls her hips down against him and leans to whisper in his ear. "I think a movie sounds great. What do you think?"

Niall holds the moan in, biting into his lip to do it. His fingernails dug into the arms rests underneath him. "Yeah, I love movies. We should watch The Notebook or some sappy love story."

His eyes are half lidded and filled with lust, blue irises a harsher color. "Mm a scientist and a stripper? Sounds like a porn."

"I'm sure Harry has a camera we could borrow if you wanted to film that. You might need to take a few acting lessons first." She pulls back and moves behind the changing curtain.

"You want to watch a sappy love movie? Okay, what did you do? You only ever suggest those if you did something wrong or your trying to be romantic." She took out her extensions and started to undress herself.

Niall smiles, peaking around the curtain. "It’s a porn, just need bad dialogue. Like 'I'll clean your test tubes.'” He laughs rather loudly at his own bad pun.

He pulls at his hair. "I've been working late for two weeks and you've been busy with the musical. Just want to be a couple rather than always have sex. Not what the relationship's about after all."

Louis leans over and presses her lips against his. There wasn't any need or lust behind her kiss, just simple adoration and love. "I would like that. Maybe some Chinese take away and Titanic. You know I cry every time Jack dies."

She grabs her bra and shirt and starts to get redressed. "So did you really think I did okay? The reviews will be out in an hour or two and I'm extremely nervous."

A knock on the door interrupted them.

Niall turns towards the door, but nods. "You did better than you think. Anyways let me get that." He shuffles to the door, opening it. "Yes?”

The man who played the drag queen stands at Louis' door. "Oh... You're not Louis."

Louis pulls her shirt down and comes to stand next to Niall in her t shirt and costume bottoms. "Oh hey, Olly! What did you need?"

"Just wanted to know if you were going to the opening night party, but I see your scientist is here." His eyes rakes down Niall's frame.

Niall flushes at the once over. He waves to the boy standing there. "Hello. I'm Niall." He sticks his hand out almost mechanically. He's used to shaking hands of people he met. When it came to being a part of the scientific community it was almost required, if one wanted to appear professional.

"You did great in the show by the way." He smiles brightly.

Olly quirkes a brow at the hand before grasping it. "Olly. I've heard a lot about you."

Louis rolls her eyes and starts to walk back behind the changing curtain. "I think I'm going to just go home. I need some time with Niall."

Olly nods before turning to Niall and leaning down to whisper in his ear. "Keep her close. I know a bunch of men associated in this business who really want a slice of her. She's happy and I want her to stay happy."

Niall smiles dreamily leaning in to whisper himself. "I have to ask her dad for permission, but I'm proposing in a few weeks. I really love her."

He glances over his shoulder realizing she must have gone behind the curtain again. "Used to be an asshole in college. I was a frat boy snapbacks and tank tops. Slept with every girl I could. Then Louis came along and everything changed."

Half the time Niall gets a little nostalgic, telling people about his college days absently.

Olly smiles and pats Niall's back. "Well good luck with that. Heard that it's nearly impossible to get a hold of him."

He looks at his watch. "I have to go. Party starts in thirty minutes and I want to be thoroughly thrashed before the reviews come out. See you tomorrow, Lou!" He waves daintily and heads down the hall yelling for Robert to get his pants on.

Niall chuckles closing the door. He goes back behind the curtain kissing her tenderly. "Apparently I've got a lot of competition."

Besides the fact that Louis was with him there's always the insecurity that she might cheat on him- might find someone better looking and muscular. In the acting business, there were always good looking, charming people.

He's decided a while ago that if Louis left him for someone else he'd let her go. If it made her happy, he just wants her to be happy.

Louis laughs lightly. "There's absolutely no competition. I'm yours and only yours."

She finishes buttoning up her jeans and moves to the chair to change to her flats. Once finished, she sighs and looks over at him. "Ready? I could really use something to eat. Haven't had anything since eight this morning."

Niall draws her close, their bodies pressed together. "We can stop by and get Chinese. That's what you wanted right?"

He turns around standing by the door. "You sure about that? I'm not that great. Besides multiple people tell me they want you. Least you don't have to hear that about me." He murmurs all of it under his breath not really wanting Louis to know he was getting insecure again.

Louis frowns and looks up at Niall. "Hey. You have no reason to be insecure. I love you and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

Sighing, she presses a quick kiss to his cheek. "And I may not have people telling me they want you, but I see the girls who stare at you when we go out together. Ever wonder why I always get a salad? I want to stay thin so you won't get tired of me and leave me for some skinny minny. I'm still really insecure, but I'm trying to push that aside to make you happy."

She fiddles with the chain around her neck. "Just tell me what I need to fix and I will. I'll do anything for you."

Niall sighs looping his arms back around her. "I don't understand why you're so insecure." He knows he sounds like a hypocrite. "You don't need to change a thing. You're so perfect. I, on the other hand, need to hit the gym."

Louis growls lightly a little frustrated. "You don't need a gym. You're, hands down, the best person I've ever met- inside and out." She wraps her arms around his neck and sways them to an invisible song in her mind. "Now, you're going to take me to get Chinese, we're going to go home and put Titanic in, and you're going to hold me while I constantly refresh the browser on my phone as I look for those reviews."

She smiles, but it quickly falters. "Oh... And my father is coming to see the show tomorrow night. I know you probably work late, but can you try and be here so I don't have to deal with his criticism by myself?"

Niall licks his lips nodding nervously. "Oh he's coming? That's wonderful."

Mark's a hard person to get a hold of. This might be his only chance. He'd have to get a ring tomorrow before the show now.

"I actually have the day off I'll keep him busy."

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" She pulls back and moves so their fingers are entwined before she grabs her bag and leads them out of her dressing room.

She calls good night and waves at the director and producer as they try and persuade her to come out to the party. Soon enough, they're on the streets of London and she looks over her shoulder to see the billboard for the show where her and Olly are crying and holding each other tightly. Not exactly the most flattering picture.

"His train gets in at ten in the morning. I have to be back here at nine for a run through and to tweak the problems that went wrong tonight... Are you sure you don't mind staying with him all day? I can just tell him to meet you outside the theatre at six tomorrow."

"No! No, I want to spend time with him. I like your family." He opens the door for Louis both of them slipping into the vehicle. He reaches for her hand over the center console, and God was he nervous for tomorrow.

\------------

Niall's really taking advantage of his day off. He's wearing a green snapback, white tank top, and black skinny jeans. Old habits die hard. He's waiting for Louis' father, Mark, to arrive. The doorbell rings and he's quick to answer. "Hi, sir."

Mark is dressed casually-well, casually for him. He's wearing a pair of light coloured khakis and a sky blue polo that is smartly tucked in and a nice leather belt holds his trousers up. A nice gold watch sits on his left wrist and a smile completes the ensemble.

"Niall! Good to see you again, lad." He pulls the blond in for a quick hug and steps inside the apartment. "Is my baby girl here?"

Niall shakes his head. "No sir. She was called in for rehearsals and sound check." He enters the kitchen having already brewed a fresh pot. "Do you want some coffee?"

Mark shakes his head in the negative. "I've had plenty already. Two cups on the train and then a decent one on the way from the platform."

He stands in the kitchen's entranceway. "So what are we feeling up to? I do have to go and buy Lou a gift. Whenever she had a show in high school or college I would buy her a necklace or a bracelet with something engraved about the show."

Niall brightens up. This was all so perfect. "Yeah, I know a jewelry shop not too far. I have to pick a gift up for her." He slips his shoes on offering another smile. "Do you wanna go now? We could do something else."

"Let's just go now. We can grab lunch afterwards. My treat." Mark had no clue where to even begin when it came to jewellery for his daughter.

Maybe he should just start a charm bracelet with a little star charm. He'd get the year, the show, and her character engraved on it. "What's her character's name? I don't know anything about this show."

"Her name's Mimi, the show is named RENT." Niall leads him outside. It was a beautiful day, deciding to walk. The store was only a block away.

"So the store's close by. How have you been sir?" He's always formal when it comes to talking to his peers.

Mark chuckles. "I think you've been with my daughter long enough now. You can call me Mark, you know." He sighs. "Haven't been too bad. Leigh-Anne, that's Louis' step mum, just went back to college and little Lux is starting middle school. They grow up too quickly. When you have kids, hold them close."

Niall nods in acknowledgment. "Sorry... Mark. I'm used to using sir and ma'am in a professional setting."

They reach the shop, Niall opening the door for the older man to enter. "I'd like kids one day, but not now."

"You're only twenty three. You have plenty of time." Mark says as he steps inside and nods in thanks to Niall for the door. "So, what are you thinking about getting my princess? Something flashy or something she'll keep forever?" He started over towards the bracelets, bypassing the rings entirely.

Niall stops by the glass case. "I was thinking one of these rings." He licks over his chapped lips looking around for a store clerk while his eyes scrutinized each wedding band.

Mark turns to see Niall by the engagement rings and his heart stops. His baby girl isn't ready for this. She's only twenty three- nearly twenty four- but she isn't ready for this. He clears his throat. "Are you sure, Niall? Maybe a necklace to match the charm bracelet I'm buying her. That'll work too, right?"

Niall's growing increasingly nervous. "I... I wanted to ask your permission to propose to your daughter. I'm in love with her sir and I've never been more sure of anything." He sees a few rings that catch his eye.

"Niall..." Mark sighs and rubs a hand over his eyes. "I really want to tell you yes. You're a fine boy, you've kept my daughter safe in London, and she seems genuinely happy." He looked down at the rings, contemplating his speech. "She's my princess, my pride and joy. I don't know if I'm ready to watch her put on that white dress and walk down the aisle."

Niall's own heart stops his shoulders drooping and head hung ashamed. "Oh. I understand. I'll, uh... Wait outside then." He steps outside of the shop needing fresh air in his lungs. It’s a crushing blow when a father rejects the idea of a proposal.

He wipes at his eyes frustrated with himself. There had to be something Mark didn't like about him. Something he needs to fix in order to marry her. He closes his eyes for a moment. "I'm such an idiot." He murmurs.

Mark frowns. He really feels horrible, but he said what he felt. He wasn’t ready for his daughter to get married. She had her whole life ahead of her and he wanted her to just live. He heads outside and spots Niall a few steps away. "You know I'm being honest with you, right? There's no hidden meeting, nothing you or her need to change. It's all me, Niall."

Sighing, he leans against the storefront and continues. "I'm pretty sure Louis could be fifty years old and I wouldn't be ready for her to get married. Maybe if you're lucky enough to have a daughter, you'll understand. But, it's really none of my business I guess.

"Johanna was right. I walked out of her life and gave up any right I had in decision making for her. I'm actually really surprised you even thought to ask me. I don't want to hold my daughter back from greatness."

He groaned and pressed the heel of his hands against his eyes. "I'm probably going to regret this when I see her in that dress. Niall, I would be extremely honoured if you asked my daughter for her hand in marriage."

Niall dries his tears smiling happily. He nods eying the store. Now he had his permission. "Thank you so much sir! You won't regret this!"

He reentered the store calling over one of the store clerks. "Excuse me do you have any engagement rings with a stone, say bombshell red?"

Mark entered behind him and went over to the bracelets completely trying to ignore Niall on the other side of the store. If he didn't think about it, it wasn't happening.

The clerk scrunches his nose in thought. "We have one. It's a skinny silver band with a central diamond and two rubies- one on each side." She leans into the display case and retrieved the ring she had described. "I'm not exactly sure what shade of red 'bombshell' is, but the only other red stone is garnet, and it's nowhere near as bright and eye catching as a ruby."

Niall carefully holds the ring between his fingers, scrutinizing every single detail. It has to be right. Louis deserves the best. Eventually he lowers his hand grinning. "It’s perfect." He knows the next question that's important to what he'd buy. "How much is it?"

The clerk types in the VIN number and scrolled down the information list. "That specific ring is currently available in white gold only and with the sphere cut rubies it comes out to one thousand four hundred and fifty and that's without tax and everything."

She looked up at Niall. "Whoever this girl is, she must be someone special if you're getting more than one stone."

Niall's eyes widen, but he nods rummaging through his pockets, taking out a debit card. "Do you accept debit? I can get cash if I need to." He would get anything for Louis and luckily he had a good steady job to afford such things.

Smiling, the woman takes his card and rings him up. "So, with tax, the total is one thousand five hundred thirty seven even."

She takes the ring from him and polishes the metal and makes the stones shine as best she can before slipping it in a ring box. "Do you need a bag or do you just want the box?"

"The box is fine thank you." He holds the black velvet in his palm. It felt so heavy sitting in his hand.

He joins Mark at the bracelets. "I bought it."

Mark thanks the man behind the counter and smiles. "And I got mine. I have to come back around three to pick it up since they have to engrave it, but I think she'll like it."

He looks at the box that Niall is holding and winces. "Well, Niall, why don't we get some lunch? I want the honest answers to some questions since you're going to be my son-in-law."

Niall nods. As if he wasn't nervous before.

\------------

Mark thanks the hostess as he sits down and takes his menu from her. "Now, Niall," he starts as she walks back to the front, "I'm not a dumb man so please don't try and lie to me." He hopes that maybe if he gets this innocent image of his daughter gone, giving her away to the blond would be easier. "Are you and my daughter sexually active?"

Niall chokes on the air he's breathing, cheeks a dusty pink. Talking to a man about having sex with his daughter? "Um, yes we are sir." He flips his menu open. Maybe if he kept busy with it he could avoid the death glare Mark would most likely give him.

Mark nods and thinks about how long Louis has been with this boy. It's crazy the amount of time they have been together, and that leads to even more questions. "Were you guys having sex when we were there for graduation? Are you being safe and using a condom at least?"

Niall's cheeks are getting darker with each question, blush spreading to his neck. "Uh... Our first time intimately was two days before graduation." He rubs at the back of his neck hoping he could force the flush away. "After we graduated we didn't use one, but since then we've been safe."

"So no surprise babies or anything? She's not pregnant and that's why you want to marry her? You just love her." Mark smiles and finally opens his menu and lays it flat on the table. "You don't have to be uncomfortable. Trust me. Having to tell Jay's father that she was pregnant with Louis when we weren't engaged is awkward. This is just friendly getting to know you."

Niall shakes his head. "No babies. For now at least. I'm asking her because I love her." He confirms Mark's questions nodding although he was still embarrassed. He can't help his natural reactions. "Anything else, sir?"

"Not question wise. Just want you to promise that you wait at least a year after the wedding to get pregnant." Mark shrugs, unfazed by anything Niall was saying. "Do you have anything you want to ask me? Anything Louis might want to know." Mark ordered a glass of wine and an ice water.

"Babies are definitely way down the road." Niall confirms with a nod of his head. He thinks about anything he could ask Mark himself. "Well, it’s a favor. Louis' afraid you'll criticize her after the show. Just... Even if you don't like it, don't tell her. She's very happy with the great reviews she's received and she wants your approval is all."

"Is she still parading around in her underwear and swinging on poles? That's the only reason I would criticise her and she knows it." He smiles as two wine glasses are sat on the table and the waiter pours until each glass is halfway full. "A toast. To Louis. A wonderful girl who is extremely lucky to have you in her life."

"The role requires her to be a stripper." Niall admits.

The toast brightens his mood. He hates the bitter taste of wine but he takes a drink nonetheless. "Thank you sir, it means a lot."

Mark takes a small sip before just swirling the liquid around his glass. "I just can't bear to see my little girl prowling around in lingerie and giving men lap dances. That's not a way to make a living." He sipped at the red liquid again. "Should I even be here, Niall? Should I even stay for the show if I know that I won't be able to make any comment that isn't about her costumes?"

Niall stares over at Mark in bewilderment. "This is your daughter's dream. I don't mean this to be rude, but if you don't attend there's no point in you speaking to her ever again." He smiles when the waitress comes by, ordering his food.

Mark ordered before going back to thinking. "She wouldn't ostracise me because of that... Would she?" A small bit of fear creeps into his features. "I never made it to any of her high school or college shows and she's not upset. Why is this one any different?"

"This one's on the London Circuit. It’s like America's Broadway. This is any actor's big chance. When I told her I was working late opening night she ignored me for two days. Thankfully I was able to go." Niall takes another drink unable to help the face sour he makes.

"This show means more than every show put together." Niall just wants Louis to be happy and hopefully if Mark ruined it, Niall's proposal could fix it. "I need your help coming up with a romantic way to propose. I'm not exactly the romanticist."

Mark sighs and sets his glass down on the table and thought. "I'm not really romantic either. I proposed to Jay as she was giving birth to Louis." He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. "I guess storming the stage and asking during curtain call is a bad idea."

Niall's eyes light up. "No! I'll be on the guest list. If I call and talk to the director maybe he'll let me do it after her solo in front of everyone." He smiles widely at the idea. He'd also be able to show the audience and crew that Louis was taken.

"Is her solo at the end of the show? I would just wait for curtain call. You might break the illusion if you do it in the middle or something." Mark furrows his brow.

He's really not the one who people should be asking about this. He's definitely not an expert in theatre or romance, but he's pretty sure if Niall cut into the show to propose it would make Louis look unprofessional.

Niall sighs. He wasn't good at this either. "Curtain call probably is better. I'll talk to the director."

Niall sighs sitting back. God was he nervous.

\------------

Louis stood there in her costume. She was both mortified and proud of tonight. All the problems from last night were fixed, absolutely nothing could go wrong. Then her solo had come.

Everything had been fine. She had been singing and swinging around the pole when the unthinkable happened. The clasp of her lingerie top had gotten caught in the fabric that made up the backdrop for her number.

She hadn't noticed and tried to continue. She ended up pulling to hard and the entire top just popped off. She had taken a few seconds to collect herself before just continuing the routine bare chested, but she was so embarrassed.

Now it was the final song and her normal black outfit had been replaced with a red, basically see through, piece and she was sure everyone was just staring at her. The song quickly ended though and she ran back stage hoping to escape curtain calls.

The director caught her by the wrist and explained that she was going out last for curtain calls tonight. He wanted her out there and he wasn't going to let her out of this.

Niall's nervous, sweating really. The wardrobe malfunction had made him more anxious. Knowing that everyone knew what his girlfriend looks like underneath her clothing when he was the only one who was supposed to know.

He's hiding backstage nonetheless waiting for the curtain calls and his queue. He changed from earlier deciding on a white button up with his skinny jeans and no snapback. His hair is styled in a lazy faux hawk, small black box in his hand.

Louis watches from the wings as Olly goes to take his bow followed by Tammy. Normally she's next, but tonight Aiden is and he's followed closely by Robert. She hears the music change to the Seasons of Love instrumental that Robert usually goes out to, but the director is pushing her out on the stage she takes her bow.

She reaches out for her cast mates’ hands so they can all take a bow together like normal. They don't move and continue to clap for her as she looks confusedly to the backstage.

Niall flushes walking out. He ignores the audience and the cast. He clears his throat standing in front of Louis, his hands hesitantly gripping her hips. "Hey."

He doesn't realize how sensitive the microphones are, or that his voice is carrying across the stage.

Louis is majorly confused. What is Niall doing? He can't be up here. How did he get up here? He's acting like this is totally normal.

"Uh, hey. Babe, you can't be up here? What are you doing?" She's trying to smile, but she's freaking out. This is completely embarrassing and unprofessional and why hasn't the director said anything yet?

"I would have waited for you to get home, but I thought this was more romantic." Niall leans down kissing her forehead.

He takes a step back shoving his hands in his pockets. "We've been dating for over a year. You make me really happy you know? I'm not romantic at all. I was trying to change that because you deserve the best. I love you so much. I'm not even sure what to say now. I love everything about you- your personality, your curves. I can show you how much I love you more than I can tell you."

He removes the small box from his pocket, getting down on one knee.

Louis feels her breath hitch and her heart flutter. "Oh god." Her hands flew to her mouth to cover it. Tears sprung to her eyes as she took in his nice appearance and his kneeled position. He wasn't doing this, not here when she was practically naked in front of hundreds of people. He isn't serious. Oh god he is serious. He was holding a ring box and kneeling; he is serious.

Niall opens the box his fingers fumbling to get the lid up. "Louis Whitney Tomlinson, will you marry me?" He holds his breath eyes squeezed shut. His heart is hammering against his rib cage and God everyone is looking at him and Louis hasn't answered.

"Oh my god." Louis looks at the ring and takes in the style and the stones and everything. Niall had bought her a ring and was asking her to spend the rest of her life with him. Her gaze travels back up his face and she nearly chokes on her laughter until she realises she hadn't said anything. "Yes. Niall, yes!"

Niall sighs in relief springing to his feet. He pulls her into his arms littering her face with kisses. "God for a moment there I thought you were going to say no." He squeezes her so tightly. He manages to catch her wrist, slipping the ring on. "I love you, beautiful."

\------------

Mark clapped excitedly as he headed into the changing room behind the couple. It had taken them fifteen minutes to get down to the dressing rooms since everyone had stopped them to congratulate them. "My little girl is going to be a bride and eventually a mummy! You know, as much as I didn't like it earlier, seeing you happy makes me excited for all this."

Louis smiles over at her father from her place in Niall’s arms. "I'm so grateful that you gave Niall permission, daddy."

He waved it off as Olly knocked and waved the top that had caught on the set round in the air. "Managed to fix the clasp. Also, Robert is insisting that you and your fiancé come out for drinks tonight."

Niall smiles, arms still wrapped around her. "I love how that word sounds. Get some clothes on though, baby."

He lets her go sighing happily. "God I hope you like that ring."

Louis smiles warmly at Olly and takes the offered costume piece. "Thanks. We'll be out soon. Tell Robert that the first round is on him. I have a wedding to save for."

Olly laughs. "That you do, love. Let me go get out of this skirt and wash this make up off." And with that, the man is gone.

Louis turns and presses a quick kiss to Niall's lips before slipping behind the changing screen again. "I love the ring. It's absolutely perfect. The fact that it has rubies as well as the diamond... God you know me so well."

Niall chuckles, sitting on her couch. "I asked if they had bombshell red and the cashier didn't know what that was. She said rubies were close in color though."

He grabs his phone texting Liam and Nick. 'Guess who just proposed.'

"They are. Niall, it's beautiful." She finishes changing and comes back into the main room. Louis throws her arms around her father's neck and kisses his cheek. "Did you like it, Daddy?"

Two texts sent Niall's phone vibrating. 'Look who finally grew a pair! Congrats!' and 'I'm so happy for you guys! Zayn and I send our congratulations!' Niall stuffs his phone back into his pocket the smile never leaving.

Mark sighs. "I'm not going to lie, Princess, I was very skeptical. But a certain boy made me realize that you're happy and that's all that matters."

Louis looks over at Niall and blushes slightly. "He's kind of amazing. I don't think he realises that he makes me happier than the stage ever could." She grabs her flats that match her little black dress and her clutch which houses her phone, keys, and wallet. She does a quick make up check and reapplies her lipstick. "You guys ready? We have to get dad back to the station before joining the cast at the bar."

Niall stands stretching his arms above his head. "Yeah, let's go." He slips his arm around Louis' waist leading her outside.

\------Eighteen Months Later------

Louis sat on the floor of their living room surrounded by picture frames and newspaper clippings glued to matting board. Each of the clippings were a review of her performance in RENT.

The show was working on their year and half hump, and they were getting ready for their fourth month this season without Louis. She and Niall had done a small, quick wedding since their schedules didn't leave time for much else.

Then a year and two months later, Louis found out she was pregnant and had to step down as Mimi and let her understudy shine. Her final show had been the most emotional performance of her life. The newspapers had done stories about it for their arts section and they kept talking about Niall's proposal and their pregnancy.

Louis had kept all the reviews and was now trying to arrange them how she wanted them on the wall. "Babe? Can you bring me some tea? My stomach is a little upset."

Niall exits the small bedroom, jeans and his t-shirt covered in pink paint, some was even smeared on his chin. They had found out the gender of the baby and Niall was so happy when they found out it was girl. He had immediately started on the nursery once they moved.

"Tea? Is she kicking?" He smiles entering the kitchen.

Louis looks up from the frames and smiles at Niall. "Nope. She's just doesn't like mummy sitting down for so long." She carefully gets up and heads into the kitchen holding a hand on her back and one over her bump. She leans over and kisses his cheek. "Thank you for painting the room on your day off."

Niall kisses her on the lips. "Well no one else can do it. And I want to make her room beautiful." He runs his palm over the swell of her belly. "Our little family."

"I could have painted it. It just would have taken a really long time." She holds his hand over her bump. "You want to take a break and join me with the pictures?" She moves over to the fridge and bends slightly to look for the jar of pickles she knows she asked Niall to buy.

Niall gropes her bum grinning cheekily. "Once she's born and we're out of the hospital, we're so going to fuck." He loves seeing Louis pregnant, but he misses the sex. It's been six months after all. "Besides the room is almost done. Ten minutes and it'll be complete. Then I'll have to build and move in the furniture."

"What happened to relationships are more than just sex?" She teases as she found the jar she had been looking for. "I'm home all day, Ni. Leave something for me to do in the nursery." Louis wants to do something for their daughter other than buy her clothes. "Maybe I can put together some things for the room. It's just drilling and hammering. How hard could it be?"

Niall raises his eyebrows. "Oh, it’s harder than that. I'm taking care of the crib because she has to sleep in that and I don't want to worry about it collapsing."

He chuckles cupping her face with one hand. "Well I wanted to paint a few daisies on one side of her wall. Do you wanna handle that?"

Louis begins munching on a pickle spear. "You know I'm shit at art. Call Zayn or something. She painted their son's room." She scrunchs her nose up at the bitter taste. "I want frozen yogurt. This is disgusting." She tosses the mostly intact pickle in the trash.

Niall sighs kissing her softly. "I'll go pick some up. What flavor do you want?" He leans back against the counter getting his phone out to text Liam. 'I hate cravings.' He's obviously referencing Louis.

"Strawberry shortcake... Oh, and make sure you get strawberry sauce... And banana slices... You know what, I'll just come with you. We can go to the fro-yo shop around the corner." Louis says as she goes to get her shoes.

Niall's phone vibrates in his hand. 'Louis? I'm sorry, bro. Zayn didn't have many cravings. We just had popcorn a lot.'

Niall nods, slipping his own shoes on. 'She was eating a pickle but now she wants yogurt.

He stashes the keys in his pockets picking Louis up bridal style. "I'll carry you."He grins making his way outside, slowly descending the staircase.

Louis laughs loudly. "Put me down! I'm going to crush you!" She wraps her arms around his neck. "Seriously, put me down. I'm way too heavy. You're going to hurt yourself."

"You're not heavy, babe. And I'm not going to hurt myself. Do you just assume I'm weak?" Niall asks pouting. He makes it down the staircase setting her down once they're in front of the passenger side door, opening it for her. "Here we are."

"You're not weak, I'm just six months pregnant. That tends to add a lot of weight. I'm already up thirty pounds." Louis frowns. "It's just around the corner and it's not supposed to rain... Although, in London that's always a possibility." She links their fingers and pulls him down the street.

Niall's phone vibrates again. 'Sorry! Text Nick or something. I'd offer Zayn and myself, but Zayn's art is in a gallery and the opening is tonight and she's freaking out.'

Niall bites his lip eying the brunette. "Walk? Are you sure that's good on your back or legs, or the baby for that matter?" He just wants to make sure that Louis is safe and that she isn't doing anything strenuous. She could sprain an ankle or something.

He glances at the text rolling his eyes. He'd text Nick later.

"It's just down on the corner and we'll be sitting as we eat. It'll be fine." Louis pouts. "Come on, Niall. I've been stuck in the house since I quit the show. I just want to get out of the house." She whines and looks over at the blond.

Ever since leaving the show, she had been bored, lonely, and feeling unappreciated. Niall worked more hours to pick up the lack of pay check from Louis' job. All of her friends worked all day and drank all night. She can't do either.

Niall sighs heavily, but nods intertwining their fingers. "Okay beautiful. I have off Saturday by the way. I'll take you out to eat then ice cream in the park?" He wants to get Louis outside. He doesn't realize how lonely it must be, but the way she was looking at him said enough. "I love you, babe. I'm sorry that you're lonely and bored."

"It's not your fault. I mean, it kind of is- you did get me pregnant." She links her arm through his and continues to the store front. Louis turns to look at him. "Not that I mind. I mean I'm so happy that we're starting our family and getting pregnant was a lot of fun."

Niall chuckles at her comment. "Making babies is always fun. Can't wait to make more." He winks smirking to himself. He pushes the door open allowing them both inside. He leads her to the counter. "Go ahead and order babe, I just want vanilla."

Louis nods and rattles off her order receiving a few looks with the specifics and choices of her toppings. She waits for her treat. "Yeah, well we might wait two or three years before another kid. I want to get another show done before getting pregnant again." She scrunches her nose in discomfort.

Niall shakes his head fiercely. "No, I just want you to keep popping out kids. We could build a conveyer belt up there." He laughs hard at his own joke. He clutches at his stomach pecking her cheek.

Louis glares. "That's it. I was going to offer a blow job tonight, but since you feel like joking about my body you're not getting anything tonight." She grabs her order and went to find them a table. "And since you think joking about my womanhood is funny, you can pay the bill."

Niall groans chasing after Louis, lightly grabbing her upper arm. "I was playing around. Jesus! Pregnant women and their hormones." He scoops up a bit of vanilla popping the spoon into his mouth. He let the frozen treat melt on his tongue.

Louis pouts and wrenches her arm from his grasp. "Nope. You have some grovelling to do before you're back in my good graces." She takes a bite of her treat and scrunches her nose again. "She's kicking big time right now."

Niall stands excitedly coming around the booth. He ran his hands all over her stomach feeling the light taps to his palms. "She's like running. She's going to be a track star."

He leans down trailing kisses everywhere. "Hey there, baby girl. It’s your daddy speaking. I love you. Love you so much. I'm making your room beautiful right now."

Louis smiles as Niall talks to their daughter. It's quite possibly the most amazing things she's ever seen and she wouldn't mind seeing it again with another child, but she knows she needs to get back to the stage as soon as she can. "I love you, Niall. You're perfect and I'm sorry you have to put up with my neurotic pregnancy hormones, but I promise that it'll be worth it."

Niall cups her face from his spot on the floor, slotting their lips together. "It's worth it now. And I'm not perfect, you are." He gets back in his seat tangling their legs under the table. "Maybe when she's around five we can talk about a second one."

Louis looks down at the table. "I'm probably a horrible person for even thinking this, but I just want to get back to the stage. I miss it so much."

She feels like she's finally found a role that she can't master- can't joke her way through if she messes up. Motherhood is just not a role she thinks she can handle. It's the Maria Von Trapp of roles and Louis got the callback, but she knew she'd never get the part.

Niall nods smiling. "Baby, if you don't want another one that's okay. We can be just as happy with one child." He finishes his treat having taken huge bites. He doesn't mind only having one kid. Keeping a family small might be good.

"It's not that. I just... I have a lot of time to think now and I just think about how much time is going to go by before I'm ready to leave her and go back to work. And I always think it's enough time to have another baby, but then what about that child..."

She sighs and takes another bite of her yogurt. "I mean, neither of us have flexible schedules and I wouldn't want to leave her with anyone until she was eighteen months. That's just such a long time. And then I have to worry about my body being ready again."

She runs a hand through her hair. "Do you think we started too fast? Should we have waited for kids?"

"Technically, we didn't plan for her she just kind ofhappened." Niall takes his spoon stealing a scoop from her cup. "Well I was offered a job and its two dollars less but I'll be improving safety equipment. I can't work on making medicine, but my schedule will be easier to work around."

It's not what he wants to do, but he wants Louis to pursue her dream.

"You're not taking that job, Ni. You've already given up so much for me and I'm not letting you give up anything else for me." Louis takes the final bite of her yogurt and stacks her trash in his. "Maybe this is what I'm meant to do. Most stars don't hit their prime until their late thirties or early forties."

She reaches across and laces their fingers together. "I'm only twenty five. I guess motherhood is a good role for me, but once I hit thirty I'm done. You're getting a vasectomy when that happens."

Niall's jaw drops. "So you're saying I'm the one who has to get fixed? You can't get your tubes tied?" He rubs a hand right above his groin looking at his lap. "You hear that guys? She doesn't appreciate you."

Louis laughs lightly. "That's not true! I appreciate them! How about this: you get a vasectomy and I'll get my tubes tied. That way, absolutely no chance of getting pregnant."

She settles her laughter down and she has one of those moments that only ever happen in books or movies. She sees Niall and realises that he is her everything and all she needs to be happy is his hand in hers.

"Let's go home. I think you said the baby's room would be done in ten minutes. That's just enough time for me to get undressed and ready for you. You, Mister Horan, are a lucky man."

Niall chuckles, running his thumb across her knuckles. He couldn't have said it any better himself.


End file.
